Taking a Chance
by Nerdywife91
Summary: Dance!Lock AU where Sherlock and John have known each other their whole lives. Mary has always been Mary and Molly is still a little shy. John and Mary own a Dance company called JWat where Sherlock is their star male dancer. Molly auditions for the opening that was vacated by Mary and Sherlock has to give her a chance.
1. Chapter 1

"No." He sniffed as he stretched out his feet.

"You can't say no to everyone." John crossed his arms.

"No." He sat down stretching his legs.

"You could at least come see the auditions."

"No."

"You do not run this company, I do!" He ignored John and his ever reddening face. "YOU MAN!" John threw up his arms and turned toward the door. "Sherlock Bloody Holmes!"

Sherlock ignored him and turned on his music, running through his pieces for the show that night.

* * *

"It's just an audition. No big deal." Molly told herself as she sat in the back of the cab. "An audition at JWat Dance Company. Really, _no big deal_." She shook her head and sat on her shaking hands.

The cab stopped and Molly looked out the window at the towering building. 'JWAT' was in bold silver letters over the entrance. The rest of the building looked just as impressive and intimidating to her as the name was.

"Miss?" The cabbie turned around, looking at her. She smiled and paid him, getting out of the cab and gripping her bag tight to her side.

"Alright Molly. You can do this." She nodded her head once and pushed the front doors open.

When her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she inhaled sharply at the beauty of the empty lobby. She had been in it several times before, but never when it was empty.

The lush red carpet looked brand new despite the number of feet that had treaded over it. There were three sets of double doors leading into the theater, the red carpet continuing down the walk way. To the far left of the doors there was a lift and stair case that led to the upper seating for the theater. Molly looked up. There was a large glass chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling with two smaller ones on either side. They weren't lit up and wouldn't be till that night, but they still sparkled as what little sunlight could get in hit them.

There was only one girl sitting behind the reception desk that sat off to the left, in front of the stair case. But tonight, tonight there would be a few hundred people filling the lobby and fighting their way to their seats for an opportunity to see the best contemporary dancers in all of London.

And here Molly was, standing alone in the middle of the very empty lobby, waiting for her chance to prove that she could be on that stage. That she was one of the best dancers in all of London and that if people knew, they would fight their way to get a chance to see her too.

"Miss?" She turned her head and looked at the girl. "Can I help you with something?"

"Oh, yes. I am here for an audition." Molly tightened her grip on her bag.

"Okay. Just take those doors. There is a lift and a set of stairs, go to the top floor." She pointed to the doors that sat to the right of the theater. They were painted the same color of the walls, blending them in well.

Molly smiled her thanks and turned, pushing her way through the doors. The small corridor on the other side was plain white. She pushed the button for the lift and the doors slid open. She stepped in and hit the number 5. She held her breath as the doors slid open and she stepped out.

There were four other girls sitting in the hall, all with ear buds in. Above their heads there was a sign that said 'auditions' in block letters. Below the sign there were five seats, the middle one was empty – just for her.

She sat down, setting her bag down in front of her feet. She shifted in her chair, uncomfortable. The girls on either side of her couldn't have been older than 21. Dance was a young person's game; Molly knew that life in a company was hard.

She was 26 with a birthday close approaching. She had danced in a small company when she was 18 – she had been the best. But then her mum was diagnosed with cancer and she left to help her father with their family business at only 20. Her mum battled the cancer and won. She came back to the family business and Molly was determined to go back to the company. It had been three years and the company had grown but there was no room for them to take her back. She had been devastated, but found a job teaching kids to dance.

Then she heard about the opening at JWat and sent her dance video in. They had responded telling her that she should report for an audition. Molly had been so excited when she read the letter, jumping up and down, that she scared her cat who knocked over a giant vase of wild flowers.

A woman who could have been barely 30 introduced herself as Mary, the junior director. She informed them of the order of auditions and Molly would be last. She sighed, just wanting it to be over and regretting that she left her headphones at home.

When the last girl before her was called in, Molly shed her jacket, long sleeve shirt, and over pants. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and wrapped her feet, then begun stretching.

"Molly?" Mary smiled at her. "We're ready for you."

Molly stood up, gathering her things, and followed Mary into the studio.

"Molly this is my husband, John Watson."

"Hi." Molly stared at the man who had his hand extended. This was John Watson – the owner and director of JWat. She was stunned.

"Hi!" She finally shook herself out of it and took his hand.

"Do you have your music?" Mary asked, as she sat down in one of two chairs behind a small table. Molly nodded yes and reached into her bag, pulling out the disk. John took it from her and sat down next to Mary.

"Just let me know when you're ready for me to start it." He gave her an encouraging smile.

Molly walked to the middle of the room and flexed her body a few more times, trying to shake out the jitters. She knew this routine like the back of her hand and knew she could kill it – if she just calmed down. She bounced on her feet a few time and stilled, clearing her mind. She nodded once to cue for her music.

* * *

Mary had been disappointed with the four pervious girls. Their tapes had been good, but their live performances were a mess. She knew all too well that auditions were nerve wracking but you still had to be able to perform.

She sat down and John followed soon after. She watched as Molly, the oldest out of the five, walked to the middle of the room. She smiled as Molly stretched her arms and bounced a little – the other girls had come in and just started their routines. Molly nodded to John and he started her music.

Mary was dumb struck by the beauty of this woman. She was small, but strong and despite her shorter stature, her lines went on forever. She was confident in her movements and she held nothing back as she danced.

When she was done dancing, Mary grabbed John's arm and turned him around, away from Molly, so they could speak.

"We need her."

"I know." John agreed.

"Do we even need to wait to tell her?"

"No." He grinned at her before he turned back around. "That was beautiful."

"You are an amazing dancer." Mary added. Molly blushed at the two of them. "If it's alright with you, you would love to offer you a spot in the company." Molly gaped at her, outright speechless. She finally nodded.

"Is that a yes?" John chuckled.

"Yes. Oh my gosh, yes!" Molly bounced in place.

"Fantastic!" Mary stood up with a huge grin on her face.

"If you have time, I would love to give you a tour." John stood up as well, handing the disk back to Molly.

"Of course!" Molly smiled at the both of them.

"Well while you two do that, I am going to go do some paperwork and type up a contract for you. By the time you are done, I should be too." Mary gave them both a nodded and left the studio, still surprised by what an amazing dancer she had just met.

* * *

Molly was still reeling with excitement as she pulled back on her over clothes and slipped into her shoes. John waited patiently, but she could tell he was just as excited to show off his company as she was to have just joined it. She threw her jacket in her bag and the bag over her shoulder, then followed John out of the studio.

"That was studio C. We have a total of eight studios." Molly's eyes widened as John talked. He looked at her and smirked. "I know, it seems a bit excessive, but I promise, you will be glad that we have all of them as you start to rehearse." Her stomach did a flip as she was starting to realize this was _her _company now too.

"I'm sure." She nodded.

John showed her around the fifth floor which consisted of studios C, D, E, F, G, and H. The studios were rectangular in shape and the six of them were in the middle of the fifth floor, composing an even bigger rectangle with a hallway running the entire length around them. Molly kept thinking what a great track the hallway would make. Each studio was connected to the ones next to it, making access easier.

He took her down to the fourth floor where studios A and B were. They were both two times bigger than one of the studios upstairs. They stood and watched as the dancers ran over rough spots in the show for that night.

"By the final performance, rehearsals aren't about getting it right; they are about keeping the moves clean and sharp." John looked at his dancers fondly – she could tell he truly cared about them. "Come on." He nodded over her shoulder. "I'll show you the locker room, it's just over here."

The 'locker room' was a room that consisted of basically 30 small wardrobes side by side, lining three of the four walls. Each person was assigned to a cubby. There were several benches, and chairs in the middle of the room, along with two small tables. In the corner by the door was a fridge and in the other corner was a water cooler.

"This one is yours." John opened the door of the second cubby on the left. There was a shelf at the bottom to store shoes and six hooks, a set of three midway up and another set of three at the top.

She closed the door and noticed the empty name plate that would soon say M. Hooper. Her eyes sparkled just imagining it.

"We will get that filled by Monday." John had noticed her staring.

"Sorry." She blushed

"No need. I used to be in your shoes. Come on, I am sure Mary has those papers for you."

She followed him down to the third floor where all of the offices where. She sat in Mary's office and filled out the papers she needed to for employment. When she was done, she shook hands with Mary and John.

"Thank you so much for this, by the way."

"There is no need to thank us. You will have plenty of work cut out for you." Mary nodded in agreement with John.

"Stick around and see the final if you want." Mary offered.

"I, uh, I actually saw it on opening night." She blushed again. "But thank you."

John and Mary waved a small goodbye as Molly exited their office.

"She sure is shy for being such a storm on the floor." John had noticed it as he was showing her around.

"Let's just hope it storms every time she dances." Mary gave him a reassuring look.

* * *

"HELLO?" Molly called out happily the next night as she entered her parents' home. "Mum?"

"Molly!" Her mother hurried to the front door, taking the ice cream out of Molly's arms. "Just in time honey – Sunday dinner is almost ready." She followed after and into the cramped kitchen.

"Michael!" She hadn't been expecting her older brother to be there. She rushed up and gave him a big hug. "Where's Jennifer?"

"She's feeding April and Ben is watching TV with Dad." He moved out of her arms and finished setting out the plates.

"I am glad you two are here – I have BIG news!" She did a little bounce.

"You do?" Her mother's eye brows shot up in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted to tell you tonight, in person. Besides, now I'm glad I waited because if I hadn't you would have told Michael before I would have even gotten the chance to."

"Molly." She turned around at her sister-in-law's voice and gave her a hug.

"You look great!"

"Thank you!" She bounced April a little. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Yes please!" Molly smiled and took April out of Jen's arms. "Okay. We all need to sit down so I can tell you my news!" Her mother shook her head at her but went and called in her father.

"Molly!" Her father kissed the side of her temple while Ben gave her legs a hug.

"Okay, okay. Sit down, dinner is ready and Molly is anxious to tell us her news." Her mother ushered them all to the table. Molly gave April a kiss and put her in her buggy.

"So honey, what did you want to tell us?" Her mother asked as she served up the casserole.

"I am now part of the JWat Dance Company." Molly barely let her mother finish talking before blurting out in excitement.

There was so much noise Molly couldn't really understand any of them. All she knew was that they were happy for her.

* * *

"I can't wait for you to see her dance."

"Mary, I do believe you can wait." Sherlock rolled his eyes at her.

"She is gorgeous!" She slapped his arm.

"When did John say he would be back?" Sherlock checked his phone, wanting to be anywhere but alone with Mary at that point.

"I'm here." John said walking in – pizza in hand.

"You told me he was getting something healthy." Sherlock practically snarled at Mary.

"Pizza is healthy for the soul…and you could use some work in that area. Honestly I have no idea how you can dance with so much emotion yet have so little."

"That's his real talent." John chuckled. "So has Mary told you about the – "

"The new dancer? _Yes_."

"Really Sherlock. You could at least pretend to care about other people."

"I do _care_ about others…you, John, and Lilly." He shrugged and Mary just scoffed at him.

"You are better with a partner." She spat at him. He blinked at her, shocked. John stared too. "Well he is."

"You are." John finally agreed.

"I know." He whispered. The three of them sat in silence for a moment, then they all laughed. "I was best with you." He pointed at Mary. "But then you left me!"

"I had a child!"

"You were _supposed _to come back!"

"I was never as good as you."

"No. You weren't." He nodded in agreement. Mary punched him in the arm. "You said it first! She said it first!" He looked to John for help but all he got were laughs. He made to get up, but John pushed him back down in his seat.

"You aren't going anywhere until you have eaten at least three pieces of pizza!"

"I have to be up early for some company meeting. I need to rest." Sherlock replied sarcastically.

"8am is not that early." Mary chastised him. "You can be such a prat sometimes."

"Sometimes?" John asked around a bite of pizza.

* * *

Molly stood off to the side of the group next to Mary. The entire company was sitting in studio A waiting on Sherlock. It was a rule they had all agreed upon, to wait until the entire company was there to start meetings. Sherlock was usually 10 to 15 minutes late just because he could be.

The door opened and Sherlock sauntered in. John glared at him and all Sherlock did in return was shrug.

It was the first time Molly had seen Sherlock Holmes off the stage. She remembered thinking he had a strange beauty about him when she saw him dance, granted she was never close enough to see his face fully and the photos in the pamphlets never did justice. But now, off the stage, he was completely striking. She could see his high cheekbones and strong jaw – Molly thought she was going to go weak in the knees just watching him take a drink from his water bottle. And his hair! She clenched her hands into fists as her fingers itched to run through his curls.

She felt herself blushing, embarrassed by the reaction she had had to just seeing him. She was floored that one man could have such an effect on her and she hoped no one was watching her. Thankfully they weren't. All eyes were trained on him, especially a group of seven girls, probably the youngest in the company, who were practically drooling over him. She rolled her eyes at herself and the girls – he was just a man for heaven's sake!

"This last show was great! We sold out every night!" The company clapped and cheered for themselves as John spoke. "I am very proud of the work you all have done and I hope you took this weekend to celebrate it because we are back to square one." He clapped his hands. "Before we start talking about our next project, I want to introduce our newest dancer." He motioned to Molly who was pushed forward by Mary. She felt her cheeks flush again as she made it to the center of the room, all eyes on her. She avoided looking in Sherlock Holmes's direction. "This is Molly Hooper." The company greeted her with smiles, causing her to relax some. "She is an excellent dancer and you will all get a chance to witness why she had been selected to become a part of our family…Thank you Molly." She nodded at John and hurried back to Mary's side.

"Our next show is going to be a little bit different. We pushed back the start of rehearsals for this show until we were completely finished with our last because this one is far more technical and the steps are much more complicated than usual. We have met with a few new choreographers and we are very excited. We don't have a title for the show yet, but the theme is all about family and relationships – something we can all relate to." He took a deep breath. "I know we usually spend a week on auditions for the dances you want, but this time we have hand-picked the groups."

A collective frown fell over the company. Molly had no reaction. She was actually glad that she was going to be told where to go and not having to think about it.

John walked over and grabbed a stack of papers.

"This is the dance list. As of right now, this is also the order of the show. If you have a major problem with it, please come talk to one of us. With that said. Mary and I debated about this all weekend. We like what we have and think it's going to work. All of you will be in at _least_ two numbers – the opening and another." He handed the list out and a quiet murmur fell across the group as they all read over the assignments.

He gave Molly a tight smile as he handed her one. She looked down at the list. Each show had at least one group dance number with all thirty dancers and a solo dance that Sherlock Holmes always had. She didn't see a solo anywhere on the list.

"The rehearsal schedule is on the back. You start in fifteen minutes!" Mary called over the group as they got louder.

She scanned the list and found her name.

_Holmes and Hooper_

Her heart sank into her feet.

"Molly?" She looked up and found Mary staring at her, concerned. "I hope you know, we just adored your dancing! And the only reason why we didn't put you in another set is because the one you and Sherlock will be doing is the most technical and difficult of the whole show."

"Oh. No. I'm not. No!" She stammered, trying to get her mouth to work. "Thank you." She nodded. "I am just happy to be here. Really." She gave Mary a genuine smile. Mary returned it and ran off to catch up with another dancer.

"Hi." A black woman about her age approached her, hand out. "I'm Sam."

"Molly." She took Sam's hand and shook it.

"I know how hard first days can be and I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything, I'm here." Molly followed Sam out of the studio and to the locker room.

"Oh, thank you!"

"Also, I know how hard working with Holmes can be, so if you ever need to vent, I have a secret chocolate stash." She opened her cubby and pointed to the bottom shelf.

"It's not a secret!" A woman who was a direct replica of Sam walked up to them. "I'm Rita." She stuck out her hand and Molly shook it. "Don't worry, you will be able to tell the difference between us in no time at all – we may look alike and can dance, but we are polar opposites."

"Well, we both have big mouths." Sam added with a laugh. "But for now, you can tell us apart by our hair, hers is shorter." Molly looked and indeed, Rita's was shorter.

"Okay. Well, you – " Molly's attention was drawn to an angry Sherlock as he stomped into the locker room and right up to the first cubby on the left, the one next to Molly's. He threw some items into his cubby and took some out, slamming it closed and stomping out again. Most of the other dancers ignored him.

"Have fun with that!" Sam nudged her and wandered off to change.

"I'm sure Sam already said this, but if you need anything, just ask."

"Thank you." Molly smiled.

"And really, good luck." Rita gave her an apologetic smile and left. Molly watched her go and noticed that the locker room was emptying fast. She hurriedly changed and looked at the rehearsal schedule. For the next three weeks she would be working with Sherlock Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday in studio H and on Wednesdays the entire company would be in studio B for the opening. During the final week of rehearsals she would work with Sherlock on Monday, the group on Tuesday and Wednesday, and full performance rehearsals started Thursday. That Saturday was opening night.

She grabbed her water bottle and closed her cubby. She made her way up the stairs and to studio H. She stopped outside the door, hearing shouting.

"I get one other dance?!" Sherlock snapped.

"This is the most important piece of the whole show!" John yelled back.

"I always get a solo!"

"Well…not this time." John's anger faded out. "Give her a chance. She is great."

"I don't care! You know I don't do pairs unless it's with Mary!"

"Mary isn't dancing anymore! Get over it!" John was back to yelling. Molly stood listening a little longer, debating about going in or not.

"Oh, they will do that for hours if you don't interrupt." Molly jumped and turned around, finding Mary and a man she had not met yet. "Hard to believe their best friends, yea?" Mary smirked. "This is Laurence. Laurence, this is Molly, our newest dancer."

"Hello." Molly shook his hand.

"Laurence is helping with the routine and the more complicated bits. John and I choreographed most of the dance and Laurence helped with the rest."

"Mary tells me you are a beautiful dancer."

"Oh, well I hope you agree."

"Come on now. I was serious, they won't stop until interrupted."


	2. Chapter 2

"SHUT IT!" Mary yelled at the two as they walked in the studio. "You are embarrassing yourselves." They turned their backs on each other, folded their arms across their chests, and continued to fume. Mary and Molly exchanged looks and tried hard to not laugh. "John." She walked over and shook his shoulders slightly. "This is not a good way to start their first rehearsal…Molly is probably starting to regret joining us." John's expression softened at his wife's words.

"Not professional." He looked at Molly. "Sorry. But as you will see, this one can be a bit difficult to work with." Sherlock turned, giving Mary and John a scowl. "Bloody amazing dancer though."

"I am." Sherlock agreed. He relaxed his shoulders a bit as he walked over to Molly. "Sherlock." He held out his hand to her, a bored expression on his face.

"Molly." She took it timidly and shook once.

"Sherlock, this is Laurence." The men shook hands.

"If you two would like to stretch out a little before we start, I need to talk to Mary and John." Laurence waved the couple out of the studio.

Molly went over to the mirror and used the bar to stretch. She could feel Sherlock's eyes on her the whole time.

"Why do hate me?" She hadn't been meaning to say it out loud and surprised herself with how confident she sounded. She turned around to face Sherlock, he was surprised too.

"I don't hate you." He blinked at her. "I don't even know you."

"That's my point." She walked over to him. "You don't know me. You haven't even given me a chance." He opened his mouth to say something but the door to the studio opened and the three of them came back in.

"We are going to start this a little differently." Laurence smiled at the two. "Help me with this." He ushered Sherlock over to the corner of the studio where a large blue matt was rolled up. They dragged it into the center of the room and laid it out. "Sherlock, I want you to stand here." He pointed to a spot three-fourths of the way down the mat. Sherlock obliged. "Molly." He looked at her. "I want you to stand down at that end facing Sherlock." He pointed to the far end of the matt. Molly did as she was told. The pair watched as Laurence, John, and Mary all sat down. "Now, what I want you to do is lift her."

"How?" Sherlock raised an eyebrow at him.

"Have you seen Dirty Dance?" They both nodded at him. "Like that. Over your head. Hold her there for a few seconds, then bring her back down."

Molly had done this lift before. But it had taken her and her partner, someone she trusted more than anything, weeks to get it right. Laurence was asking her to do this with a man she had just met; someone who obviously did not want to dance with her. She couldn't help but think this was going to end badly.

"Tell me when you're ready." She looked at Sherlock. He cleared his throat and lifted his hands slightly. He nodded once at her. She took off towards him and as she jumped she felt his hands on her hips lifting her above his head. She thought she felt his grip slipping and shifted forward to far. Sherlock felt them starting to fall. He tried to bring Molly down safely in front of him, but they both tumbled down, Sherlock landing hard on top of Molly.

There was a collective "ow" from the three spectators. Before Molly knew what was happening, Sherlock was standing on his feet and dragging Molly to hers.

"You okay?" Mary asked. Molly coughed a little, Sherlock had knocked the wind out of her. She nodded yes.

"Just glad I didn't land on my head."

"Get a drink. Then do it again." Laurence leaned back in his chair.

The pair set up again and Molly waited for Sherlock to nod at her. This time when they started to fall, Sherlock was able to recover it and set her down on her feet.

"Again."

"Again."

"Again." By this time John and Mary had long since gone.

"Again!"

AGAIN!" This came after a particularly horrible attempt where Sherlock was only able to lift her to his shoulder before they fell backwards again.

Molly wasn't sure how many times they had attempted the lift because she had lost count after thirty or so. She was sure that by tomorrow morning she was going to have bruises in the shape of Sherlock's hands on her hips. She was also starting to feel slightly sorry for him. Molly knew she was relatively slender, but lifting a woman over your head countless times will tire anyone out.

"Good." Laurence nodded his head. "Do it again." Their lift had been perfect.

"That was flawless!" Sherlock shouted at him. Molly felt like joining in.

"It was boring! Do it again!"

Sherlock set his jaw and looked at Molly. She didn't wait for him to nod at her this time. She took off towards him. He steadied himself and raised his hands just as she jumped. He lifted her over his head and she held herself perfectly. She felt him pushing her back out in front of him and just went with his lead. He tossed her out in front of him and she twisted landing in his arms.

They stared at each other for a moment; Molly's arm wrapped around his neck while he cradled her in him arms. He sat her down slowly and they turned to face Laurence who was looking smug.

"_That_ was flawless." Laurence stood up.

"What was the _point_?" Sherlock asked, irritated.

"Trust." He said simply. Molly gave him a questioning look. "It was obvious that the two of you didn't trust each other. Not that I blame you." He turned to her. "I wouldn't trust someone who seemed to hate me before getting to know me either." He walked around the pair. "That last lift. That was trust." He smiled at Molly. "You didn't wait for him to tell you he was ready – you just expected him to be there to catch you. And you." He turned to Sherlock. "You trusted that she was going to follow your lead and she did."

Molly looked at Sherlock and smiled – she was proud of them. He looked back at her as if he was searching for something in her face.

"Take a break. Eat a small lunch. Come back in a half hour."

Sherlock was out the door a half second after Laurence was done talking.

"Seems like a fun guy."

"Loads of fun." Molly agreed. She sighed and followed Laurence out of the studio. He wandered off to join the other choreographers while she made her way to the locker room.

* * *

"Hey!" Rita greeted her with a smile. She was sitting at one of the tables with Sam and a guy who looked a lot like Channing Tatum (she had a thing for dance movies for obvious reasons).

"Hi." She gave a small smile back. She opened her cubby and grabbed out her small lunch of fruit, nuts, and cheese. She relaxed a bit when she had sat down.

"Molly, this is Chris. Chris this is Molly." Sam introduced the two.

"Hey." He nodded around a bit of food.

"Hi. Are you in a set together?" Molly asked as she started nibbling.

"Yeah. It's the two of us, Chris, and the two Wills." Rita pointed out the two other guys. "How did your first rehearsal go?" She asked, wrinkling her nose a bit. Molly inwardly sighed – everyone here seemed to be afraid to work with Sherlock. That was not a comforting thought.

"Umm, okay." She nodded. "We didn't learn any of our routine."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked as she offered her some chips. Molly shook her head no.

"Laurence, our choreographer, had us do the lift from Dirty Dancing over and over and over."

"The one at the end?" Rita asked. "I love that scene!"

"That's the one." She nodded. "I love the scene too, just not doing the lift for that long. I seriously think I am going to have bruises in the shape of Sherlock's hands on my hips!"

"He may be a pain to work with, but I would be okay if Sherlock gave me bruises on my hips." Sam joked.

"I didn't need to picture that!" Chris yelled at her.

"Really, is that all you think about?" Rita asked her.

"Yes." She nodded. They all busted out laughing. "But seriously, his hands look big, are they big?"

"He has long fingers." Molly said without thinking, then blushed realizing how bad it sounded. Sam just giggled.

"Poor Molly, it's her first day and you have embarrassed her." Rita threw a grape at Sam.

"You need to calm your lady parts down." Chris elbowed Sam.

"They like being all excited." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Is she like this all the time?" Molly giggled at the scene in front of her.

"All. The. Time." Rita made each word a sentence. Sam rolled her eyes at the three of them.

"We better go." Chris pointed to the clock. Molly was done eating and decided to head back upstairs with them.

"_Have fun!_" Sam smirked at her as she wandered off after Rita and Chris to their studio.

"Thank you, really!" Molly called back to them. She smiled as she walked to the last studio, excited about the upcoming months with new friends.

* * *

She pushed the door open and Sherlock was already back. He was sitting in a chair facing away from the door.

"I'm giving you a chance." His voice was low and sent shivers down Molly's spin. She inwardly cursed herself.

"I – oh." She closed the studio door behind her. "You're an amazing dancer."

"I know." He said turning towards her.

"Also self-centered." She folded her arms.

"Yes." He nodded and stood up.

"Self-assured." She mumbled.

"That too." He walked towards her and handed her a note. She took it and read it.

_Do the lift again. Like the last time. Don't think, just do. Then work together. No routines. Sherlock lead. Molly follow. Don't leave until all the other groups have._

_~ Laurence_

_Sherlock, don't be a dick. ~ John_

She dropped the note on the table. Sherlock had turned back around and was stretching out his arms. Don't think, just do. Okay.

"Sherlock." He turned around and she ran towards him. He smirked and reached out his arms. He lifted her above his head, this time effortlessly. He dropped her and caught her again. "Thank you for not dropping me on my head." She said as he put her on the ground.

"Of course." He walked over and turned on a list of music. He walked back to her and held out his hand. _Molly follow_. She took his hand and let him lead.

As much as Sherlock was an amazing dancer, he was an even better partner. He knew when to hold tight lines and when to give space. He pushed and pulled with a forgiving touch. He led her and followed her at the same time, modifying his movements to match hers.

"I want to try something." He ran a towel over his face and turned off the music.

"Okay." She said, slowing doing her breathing and taking a drink of water. "What?" She asked setting down her water bottle. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the floor.

"Stand here." She stayed put as he walked away from her. He stopped when he was a good ways away from her. "I want you to take a few running steps and leap at me." She stared wide eyed at him, not sure she had heard him correctly.

"Did you say you want me to jump at you?"

"Yes." He nodded. "When you jump, I'll catch you on my shoulder. Wrap your left arm around my neck and your right arm around my shoulder. Curl your knees up under my arm, beside my side."

"I'm going to knee you in your chest." Molly fidgeted with her hands.

"I thought we were working on trust." He said with an amused look.

"We are – trusting each other. He never said anything about trusting ourselves and I don't trust myself to not knee you."

"Do you trust me to catch you?"

"I think you've proved that over and over today."

"I trust that you aren't going to knee me." He reassured her. "Now, leap." He lifted his arms slightly. Molly frowned at him. He frowned back and ushered her forward with his hands again. She set her brow even more. "Molly." He said her name as if he had been saying it for years.

"What, Sher-lock?" She cocked her hip and put her hand on her waist.

"Just jump already." He said exasperated. She flung her hands out at her side and swallowed her fear. She ran at him and jumped when she felt she was close enough. She landed on his shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around him as he instructed. She tucked her knees up and her head down. She didn't move for a moment fearing that she would fall.

Sherlock laughed and let his hold on her go. Molly didn't fall – she was holding onto him for dear life. She brought her head up and looked him in the face. He was amused. She slowly stretched out her legs and let go of his shoulder.

"Sorry." She felt her cheeks burning. He shrugged at her and checked his mobile.

"One more time?" It was her turn to shrug at him. "Let's continue after it." He walked over and turned the music back on. She went to the spot where she had started and waited for him to get to his spot.

She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. She bounced to the beat a little and then took off towards him. She leaped and closed herself around Sherlock's shoulder, this time letting him hold her in place. He pulled her off and tossed her into the air, spinning her, and catching her again. She slid to the ground and as her feet gripped the floor he pushed her away. She stepped back and lifted her leg, twisting. Before she could bring her leg down again Sherlock grabbed her thigh bending down and lifted her onto his right shoulder, and spun. She leaned down slightly, running her hand down his back. Sherlock reached around with his right hand and grabbed her arm. He pulled her off his shoulder and spun her around in front of him, Molly bracing herself with her free arm so she didn't fall. She sunk to the ground, still holding his one hand.

As Molly crouched on the ground, holding Sherlock's hand, she watched as his chest heaved as he breathed heavily; her own breathing synced to his. He pulled her to her feet, still holding her hand. He looked almost happy to Molly.

There were a few collective claps that caught the pair by surprise. Molly dropped his hand and jumped away from Sherlock at the surprise. Almost the entire company was standing in the connecting doorways watching them. Sam and Rita were smiling brightly at her. She looked back at Sherlock who was frowning again.

"I think you see why we asked her to join the company?" John worked his way through the crowd. Everyone was wide eyed and talking amongst themselves. "Okay, okay. Days done. Go home." He shoed them all away.

"Looks like you two will work after all." Mary smirked at Sherlock.

"Go away." He told her.

"My company." She smiled. He scowled back. "Anyways, after seeing that, you have to show Laurence."

"We just made it up as we went." Molly added.

"It was brilliant." Mary and John said together.

"I know." Sherlock ran his hand through his hair.

"Just…go home." John sighed at him. He wrapped his arm around Mary's shoulders and led her out of the studio. Molly and Sherlock grabbed their towels and headed down to the locker room.

* * *

Sam and Rita were still there waiting for her.

"Okay. That! Waaaaas amazing!" Sam gushed.

"I have never seen anyone dance like that!" Rita smiled.

"Oh, thank you." Molly blushed.

"You are terrible at taking compliments." Sam nudged her.

"I've been told that before." She felt her cheeks heating even more. She clasped her hand behind her back so she wouldn't fidget with them.

"Okay, well we will see you tomorrow – looks like someone is waiting." Rita nodded her head over Molly's shoulder. She turned and saw Sherlock leaning on his cubby staring at her.

"See you tomorrow." Molly said to the pair.

"Bye." Sam and Rita hurried out of the locker room.

Molly turned around and walked over to her cubby, Sherlock watching her the whole time. She opened the door and hung up her towel. She sat down on the bench behind her and unwrapped her feet. She pulled on her socks and shoes.

"Yes?" She looked up at Sherlock who was still standing there, having not said anything. She had done her best to ignore him, but she could only last so long.

"I gave you a chance." He finally said.

"And?" She tied her laces and stood up. She took her over shirt out of her locker and pulled it on.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He gave her a smirk and left. Molly rolled her eyes at his back and grabbed her bag. She shut her cubby and left.

* * *

She was exhausted when she got home. She had been dancing every day, but not like this. She had taught the young dance classes and used the studio after hours, but this still hadn't prepared her body for this.

She grabbed a quick bite and ran a hot bath. She stepped in and winced at the temp a bit, but lowered herself in anyways. She could feel her muscles relaxing a bit. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She jumped when a wet, cold nose rubbed against her hand.

"Toby." She scratched the tabby behind his ears. "You know what I want? A glass of wine…probably shouldn't though." She stood up and wrapped herself in her towel. Toby followed her into her bedroom. She didn't bother to hang up her towel or get into her sleep clothes, she just feel into bed and buried herself under the covers.

* * *

_Soooo? – MW_

_What? – SH_

_Do you like her?! Isn't she an amazing dancer? – MW_

_She's fine. – SH_

_You two looked great! – MW_

_Stop texting me. – SH_

_John agrees that you two are amazing together. – SH_

_I'm going to bed. – SH_

_I think you two pairing together is going to be great! – MW_

_Leave me alone. – SH_

_It was a great move for the company. – MW _

_Sherlock? – MW_

_SHERLOCK? – MW_

_SHERLOCK? SHERLOCK? SHERLOCK? – MW_

_WHAT! – SH_

_Lilly says goodnight. – MW_

_Lilly is six months old. – SH_

_Goodnight Lilly. – SH_

* * *

"Just the jump or all of it?" Molly asked as she stifled a yawn. She had been slightly disappointed that Sherlock looked completely unfazed from the exhaustive workout from yesterday while her muscles were still aching a bit. She knew it was going to take her awhile to get used to it again, but she couldn't believe how stiff she had felt when she dragged herself out of bed that morning.

"All of it." Laurence said before Mary or John could chime in. Sherlock nodded and turned on the song they had used last night. Molly walked over to her starting spot and bounced, clearing her head. She looked up at Sherlock.

"You won't knee me." He said. She scowled and ran at him, throwing herself at him. Instead of staying still as he caught her, he turned with her momentum and then spun her in the air, continuing like they had the night before.

When they were done Laurence looked pleased.

"Looks like yesterday was good for you two." Mary nodded In agreement with him. "I liked it. We're going to add it, probably at the end." Laurence turned off the music.

"I told you it was good." John chuckled. Laurence gave him a look. "Okay. We get it. We will go." He and Mary hurried out. Laurence turned back to Molly and Sherlock.

"Again."

"Molly that was good." They were learning the opening move to their dance. "Sherlock you need to extend your arm more."

"What the hell was that? Again!"

"Molly you need to be faster."

"Keep doing that and you'll keep falling. Again."

"Sherlock, this is not that hard!" Laurence yelled at him as he failed to lift Molly for a third time. She was sitting on his shoulders much like a little kid would on their father's shoulders. Sherlock was supposed to grab her hands and lift her off his shoulders while she spun and did some kind of flip, but then they never got to the flip. They somehow would get their arms tangled and Molly would start to fall. Sherlock was always able to untangle their arms and catch her before she hit the floor, but this move was proving impossible.

"It is technically difficult!" Sherlock said through gritted teeth.

"You should be able to get this." Laurence raised his eyebrows at him.

"Then you come do it." He grabbed Molly's arms and slid her off his shoulders and on to the ground in one fell swoop. It surprised her how fast she was getting used to being thrown around by his hands.

"Fine." He walked over and helped Molly onto his shoulders like she had been sitting on Sherlock's. He reached up and grabbed her hands. Molly locked her arms and Laurence started to lift her, but just as she started to spin they got tangled and Molly started to fell. When she realized that Laurence wasn't going to catch her and she was going to smash into the ground, she let out a small yelp. Before she hit the ground Sherlock was next to her, catching her and pulling her out of Laurence's arms and up on to her feet.

"Thank you." She smiled with relief.

"You're too short." Laurence looked Molly head to toe.

"I am not!" She protested and hugged her arms.

"It's not bad. It just means you can't do this move, you're arms aren't long enough." Laurence explained.

"When I can't do it, it's my vault, but when you can't do it it's because Molly is too short?"

"Exactly." Laurence smiled. "Take your lunch break. I need to rethink this part." He waved them off and left the studio.

As Molly was bending over to grab her towel Sherlock placed a hand on her hip. His fingers hovered over the bruises that his finger tips had created yesterday.

"Me?" He asked.

"Yea." She ran her own hand over her other bruised hip.

"Sorry." Molly's head snapped up at the word. For the past two days, Molly had heard mostly snarky and mean comments coming from Sherlock. "Yes, I do know that word." He added sarcastically. She shook her head at him.

"Well I am just thankful that you didn't drop me on my head." She joked.

"Then I would be willing to bruise your hips any day." Sherlock's face turned red as he realized what he had just said. "I mean, I didn't mean, what I meant – "

"At least I know I can trust you to catch me." She smiled. They both turned for the door and stopped in their tracks when they saw Sam and Rita. "Hey!" She finally managed.

Sherlock didn't say anything and just walked through the two. They watched as Sherlock walked down the hall, past the other studios, and around the corner to the stairs, then they burst into giggles.

"I bet he _would _be willing to bruise your hips!" Sam doubled over laughing.

"Now we know that Sherlock Holmes does think about others in that way!" Rita joined in.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she followed them from the studio.

"Well, no one knows a lot about Sherlock, except John and Mary." Rita said.

"And they don't spend a lot of time gossiping with us in the locker room." Sam added.

"Sherlock is very personal." Rita nodded.

"Never talked about pervious relationships or attachments and he made sure we all knew he was NOT interested in a relationship." Sam frowned slightly as they started down the stairs.

"All we know is that he wasn't always like this." Rita shrugged.

"You know, a real dick." Sam clarified.

"How do you know?" Molly was extremely curious. When they got to the locker room, Sherlock had already been and gone.

"I was paired with Sherlock three shows ago." Rita started.

"But he threw a hissy fit and the pair was broken up." Sam finished.

"When he stormed out of the studio after the first rehearsal John and I were talking. He said to me, 'I'm sorry. He wasn't always like this, before when – never mind, it still doesn't give him the damn right!' Then he stormed off too." Rita sighed at the end.

"Oh." Molly frowned at the cubby next to hers.


	3. Chapter 3

"Gossiping about your partner?" Sherlock asked with a brow raised as she wandered back into the studio after lunch. She felt her cheeks burn red as she shut the door behind her. She stood leaning on the door with her hands behind her back.

"I wasn't gossiping." She managed as she pushed herself off of the door and walked toward him. "I was simply listening." Molly smirked. "Maybe if you told me about yourself…I wouldn't have to listen to others."

"Maybe _you _should tell _me _about _yourself_." He said back to her. She bit her tongue as many snarky remarks formed. She pulled a chair over next to his and turned it around, sitting on it backwards and wresting her arms on the back with her chin on her hands.

"When I was 20 we found out my mum had cancer. She fought for three years and won. She and my father own a small business that my brother and I used to work at when we were younger. My brother Michael is three years older than me. He and his wife Jennifer have two kids, their son Ben and their daughter April. Ben is about two and a half and April is about eight months."

"I asked about you. Not your family."

"There's nothing really special about me." She shrugged.

"Have you never seen yourself dance?" He asked her.

They both snapped their heads up as the door to the studio swung open and Laurence walked in, carrying a small bench.

"Figure it out?" Sherlock asked blankly. Laurence ignored Sherlock and sat the bench down in the middle of the studio.

"This dance is about love."

"With a bench?" Sherlock sarcastically asked Laurence as Molly frowned at Sherlock.

"No." Laurence rolled his eyes at him and sat down on the edge of another chair. "This isn't a Romeo and Juliet story about forbidden love. This is about an ordinary couple with an extraordinary love. Once they meet they can't stay apart. They become two halves of a whole. This dance is the story of their lives together. They experience extreme joy at their marriage, suffer terrible sorrow at the loss of their first child, and hesitancy at another pregnancy. They experience the mundane and business of the everyday as they love and fight and grow old together. Their love is an extraordinarily ordinary love."

Molly knew she would have cried if Laurence hadn't stood up and dragged the pair to their feet.

"I need you two to connect on that level…or at least look like you do." Laurence sighed at Sherlock. "I want to start over with the opening. I don't want you two start in the center. I literally want to tell their entire story in this one dance." He walked Molly over to where stage left would be. "You're going to enter from different sides." He pointed Sherlock over to stage right. "When the music starts, you're both going to walk to the bench, crossing by each other, Molly in front of Sherlock, behind the bench. Walk to the opposite side of the bench from which side of the stage you started on.

"Don't look at each other until you cross paths, bumping into each other. From then, keep you're gazes locked as you circle around in front of the bench and sit down. You both need to sit at the very end of the bench with as much room between you as possible…you're going to try it with music…until you get it right because once you get it right the rest of the dance will just flow." Laurence started the music and counted, "5 – 6 – 7 – 8."

Molly and Sherlock started across the floor not looking at each other. As they crossed paths, they brushed past each other Molly tried to hold Sherlock's gaze but his face was void of emotions. Molly stopped dead in her tracks as the music played on.

"Sherlock!" She groaned. "You can't act dead!" Sherlock rolled his eyes at her.

"She's right. You have to give her something to work with. Again." Laurence pointed them back to the starting places. Their second, third, and fourth attempts were just as bad as the first. "Okay. Stop." Laurence sighed. "Sherlock stand over there and watch us." Laurence took Sherlock's spot and counted down again. He moved across the stage with Molly, he wasn't as powerful as Sherlock but he had the emotion that Sherlock seemed so intent on ignoring. "Got it?"

"Yes." Sherlock clenched his jaw and took his starting position again. He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose. Molly watched as Sherlock's entire disposition changed and he opened his eyes.

This time as they walked toward the middle of the room, Molly had a hard time keeping her eyes off of him until she was supposed to. When they brushed past each other and locked eyes, Sherlock grabbed Molly's arm and spun them around in a slow circle before they continued to their spots on the bench.

"Perfect." Laurence smiled.

* * *

Molly had been surprised just three minutes after getting home by a knock at her front door. Michael and Jennifer stood with smiling faces and take away in their hands. Jennifer's parents had taken the kids for the night and they were dying to know how Molly's first few days were going.

"I feel like an idiot when I'm around him!" Molly dropped her head into her arms on the table.

"He can't have that much of an effect on you." Michael rolled his eyes at his sister.

"Yes he can!" She raised her head, nodding yes.

"Is his hair as wonderful in real life as it is in his pictures?" Jennifer asked as she sipped on a glass of wine.

"It's even better." Molly groaned. "I have to fight the urge to run my fingers through it." Jennifer giggled at her. "Granted, his…_unpleasant_ disposition makes it a little easier."

"I have heard that he is hard to work with." Michael said as he put the leftovers in the fridge.

"This is the first time he has done a paired dance since Mary stopped dancing. That was over a year and a half ago, at least six or seven shows." Molly nodded in agreement.

"Mary is John's wife, correct?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes. She is really very sweet."

"Then why is he dancing with you without a fuss?" Michael sat back down.

"He did fuss but I guess now he is okay with it? I'm not sure. Today was only our second rehearsal and now he is acting as if we have been paired up for years."

"Maybe he fancies you." Jennifer winked at you.

"I'll settle for him not hating my guts."

* * *

"We were going to wait for you after rehearsal yesterday but we were meeting up with our parents." Rita had waved Molly over to sit next to them while they waited for the rest of the company.

"That's okay." Molly smiled at them.

"So, did Sherlock leave you any more bruises?" Sam wiggled her eyebrows at her.

"Oh my gosh! No!" Molly's cheeks burned red. "You are horrible!"

"You know you wouldn't mind it!" Sam nudged her and she felt her face getting even hotter. "Oh! You really wouldn't mind it!" Sam squealed in delight.

"Oh, leave her be!" Rita hit Sam's arm. "Any girl on this planet would be mad to say they didn't find Sherlock Holmes attractive."

"Thank you." Molly smiled appreciatively at Rita.

"Good morning Molly." Sherlock sat down next to her.

"Morning." She said back, trying to hide her still rather red face.

"_Good morning Sam. Good morning Rita. How are you two? Hello Sherlock! We're positively delightful_." Sam had a mock conversation with herself. Sherlock stared at her, unamused, until she stopped giggling and turned a little red herself.

"ALRIGHT!" John's voice silenced the room. "I don't see stretching!"

"By the way, you have some really beautiful lines." Rita said as Molly stretched out her arms.

"Oh, thank you, I – " Molly was cut off as Sherlock pushed her back with a heavy hand until she was laying on the ground. "Sherlock, _whatareyoudoing_?!" Molly asked the last bit in a rush.

"Stretching your legs is easier with a partner." He said as lifted her leg, resting it on his shoulder and then pushed on it.

"Oh." She knew her face was back to being red. She turned to look at Rita and Sam – they were trying hard to not come undone with giggles. She turned her head back and concentrated on the ceiling.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" He asked as he switched to her other leg. She bit the inside of her cheek, not sure how to respond.

"Y-yes." She stammered a little.

"Why?" She raised her head slightly to meet his gaze.

"Because I don't understand you." He put her other leg back on the ground.

"Switch." Molly got to her knees and waited while Sherlock lay on his back. She repeated the same procedure he did. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." He sat up.

"It's fine." She lied.

"Molly," There he went using that tone that got to her. "I just – "

"EVERYONE!" John's voice silenced the room again. "I hope that the last two days of individual rehearsals have been good. I want to see a good amount of progress by the end of this week." Molly couldn't help but think that her and Sherlock's dance was only going to consist of staring at each other and doing some sort of lift thing at the end. "For today, we start work on our opener. This will be slightly different from our usually group numbers – all of the choreographers have combined their efforts for this one."

"Women stage left, men stage right." As the dancers started to separate about half of the choreographers joined the women and the other half the men.

"Molly? Sherlock?" A women next to Laurence called to them. Molly shrugged at Rita and Sam and wandered to the front of the studio. "I'm Martha Hudson." She gave Molly a gigantic grin.

"Mrs. Hudson." Sherlock gave her a genuine smile and a small kiss on the cheek. "I haven't seen you here in a while."

"Been busy." She nodded.

"I told Martha about the lift and the leap that you two did on Monday." Laurence started.

"Aren't those going in our routine?" Molly wrinkled her brow, confused.

"The leap is and tomorrow I will show you the modification I want you to make to it for that piece. For now, I would really like you to show Martha exactly what you practiced. Start with the leap?" Molly and Sherlock nodded.

As they moved away from each other in opposite directions they earned the eyes of the other nosey dancers who were supposed to be listening to the choreographers.

When Molly was sure she had enough distance to get a good running start, she stopped and bounced on the balls of her feet. This calmed her and had become her routine.

She looked up and locked eyes with Sherlock. He nodded at her. She ran at him and leaped when she was just close enough. She landed solidly on his shoulder. As Molly got her feet back under her, she realized that she and Sherlock had even more eyes on them. She went back to her starting position and waited until she had Sherlock's eye contact again. He nodded and she took off at him again. This time his hands met her hips as she pushed off of the ground and he held her in the air for a few moments. He dropped her down into his arms and set her on the floor.

"DANCERS! FOCUS!" John yelled, getting the attention back on the choreographers.

"Perfect." Martha nodded. "They are going to do both. The lift will obviously be at the end." Laurence nodded in agreement. "Do you think he can hold her and spin?"

"Of course." Sherlock was sure of himself.

"Wonderful!" Martha clapped her hands together.

The rest of the day the company worked together to learn the first half of the opener. The dance opened with the dancers split, women stage left and men stage right. They did some synchronized and mirrored moves which she and Sherlock came in after several sets of. They were center stage and seemed to never take their hands off of each other. She was glad when they broke apart and she was able to join the other women.

"Great work!" Mary applauded the exhausted dancers. "Next Wednesday you will learn the last half and the Wednesday after that we will work on putting it all together. Tomorrow you're back to your individual rehearsals."

* * *

Thursday had been a very good day for Molly and Sherlock. They were connecting more with their movements and had managed to learn the first half of their dance with some success. Laurence had recorded them and told them to watch the video and work on the rough spots on Friday – he was going to be gone and there was no time for them to relax.

"You need to try harder!" Sherlock gritted his teeth as he and Molly collided for the fifth time.

"I am!" She shouted at him. "Do you think I enjoy running into you constantly?"

"I am beginning to think so!" He shouted back. He ran a towel over his face and Molly watched as he heaved a sigh, his chest rising and falling dramatically. "Okay." He tossed the towel onto the table again. "We aren't working together."

"What do you mean? We are working together!" Molly practically wined at him.

"No. We're working against each other." He pulled Molly over in front of the mirrors. "Watch and do it slower." He wrapped his arms around Molly's shoulders and grabbed the opposite hands of his. "5 – 6 – 7 – 8." He and Molly started to move together. She was mesmerized by how they moved and almost forgot she was watching herself.

As they paid close attention to what they were doing, they did not collide when Sherlock spun Molly back into him. She took her eyes off the glass and raised them to his. She could have sworn they were green yesterday, but today they looked blue.

"That was good." He practically whispered. Molly just nodded as she stepped out of Sherlock's arms. "You are special." She furrowed her brow at him. "You told me you were nothing special." She blushed at his words.

"I'm not." She managed as she turned away. Molly felt Sherlock's hand wrap around her wrist. He turned her toward him.

"You are." He said simply, locking eyes with her again.

Molly wasn't aware of her movements until her lips were on his and her fingers tugged at his hair. She thought he would pull away or push her off, but instead the hand on her wrist came down on her waist pulling her flush with his body.

"Oh my gosh!" Molly's sense finally came back to her and she jumped away from him turning her back to him, rambling, "I am so sorry! I – I shouldn't have. I don't do things like this!" She heard Sherlock give a low laugh and looked back at him.

"What are _things_ like this?" He raised a brow at her.

"Kiss a man I barely know!" Molly flung her arms out at her side. Sherlock tried to conceal the smile that was growing on his face, but couldn't. Molly realized this was the first _real _smile he had given her, there were the little smirks and but this was a smile.

"You kiss a lot of men you know?" He continued to smile.

"That's not what I meant." She rolled her eyes at him. "I just, I tend to have known the guy a little more than a week before I attack his face!" She paced around. Sherlock grabbed her by the shoulders and stopped her pacing.

"Would you be upset if I kissed you again?" He asked sincerely.

"No." She shook her head.

Sherlock leaned down and kissed her, pulling her body to his again. He held one hand on her face and the other on her waist while she laced her fingers through his hair again. _Oh how she liked the feeling of her fingers in his hair!_ Sherlock earned a moan as he swiped his tongue over teeth.

"I think I'm going to go home now." Molly said as she stepped back from him.

"Okay." He agreed.

They were quiet as they left the studio and walked back down to the locker room. Everyone was still rehearsing so the locker room was empty…and quiet. They stole sideways glances at each other while they got ready to leave. Sherlock closed his cubby first and stood leaning against the wall by the door, watching Molly. She felt his eyes on her like an extra ten pounds on her shoulders. She dropped several things as she tried shoving them in her bag.

"Stop laughing at me." She said closing her cubby.

"I wasn't laughing!" He looked completely appalled that she would even say such a thing. She rolled her eyes and pushed past him and out of the locker room. She heard him snickering the entire way down the stairs and out on to the street.

"Well, I think that – " Molly stopped talking as Sherlock hailed a cab. He held the door open and waited for Molly to get in. She shook her head as she slide to the other side of the cab.

"Address?" Sherlock asked her. She told the cabbie her address and stole one last look at Sherlock before staring out the window for the rest of the ride home. When the cab came to a stop Molly turned to say goodnight to Sherlock, but he was already out of the car and waiting for her. She hurried out and stumbled over herself as she shut the door; Sherlock caught her before she could hurt herself.

"Thank you."

"You should probably take better care of your feet." Sherlock motioned for her to lead the way. He followed her and waited as she pulled her keys out of her purse. She turned on her heals, keys in hand, and back pressed against her door.

"I would invite you in, but I know what I would do." She swore she saw a hint of pink on Sherlock's cheeks but he brushed past the moment

"You have to eat and I know this great place just a little ways from here." He motioned up the street.

"I shouldn't because we would just end up back here and I would be in the same place I am." He sighed at her. "Besides, I have left over take away in the fridge."

"A Friday night in?" He rubbed the back of his head and frowned slightly.

"I have things to think about so it's left over take away and a really bad romantic movie before a glass of wine and a hot bath." She realized she probably shouldn't have mentioned the bath when he gave her a daring grin. He leaned down, cupping her face, and kissed her again. As he drew back he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.

"Something else to think about while you take your bath." He left her standing at her front door wishing she had invited him in.

* * *

John had told her that the studio was open on Saturdays for those who wished to get an extra rehearsal in, so the next morning she got herself up and around and headed in, knowing she should get in all the extra rehearsing she could.

There were no other dancers there so she didn't bother with the locker room and simply piled her stuff in the corner of Studio A. She turned on her music and started working on some of the finer points of their routine that she did without Sherlock.

As she was coming out of a small spin jump she caught something out of the corner of her eye and lost her balance. She heard him laugh as she turned to face him form the floor.

"You really do need to take better care of your feet." He extended his hand down to her and helped her up.

"Thank you." She tried to let go of his hand but he held tight and leaned his head down brushing his lips against hers. She started to kiss him back, but pulled away quickly, wiggling out of his grasp. He looked at her, slightly shocked.

"I just…it's not that I don't like kissing you." She gave him a small smile. "Because I do."

"You feel uncomfortable?"

"Only slightly?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I would really like to get to know you first…as friends."

"I don't do that short of thing." He said shortly.

"According to the rest of the company, you don't do relationships or attachments either."

"Good point." He agreed. He stared at her hard, trying to break her down, hoping she would give in. She didn't. "Okay. Friends first." He sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

"Just friends?" He whispered to her Monday morning at their cubbies. Her face flushed and she hid it behind the door of her cubby.

"Yes, just friends." She hissed at him, slamming the small locker closed.

"I just wanted to check." He shrugged.

* * *

"Could you put her down for a minute?" John asked as Sherlock walked around with Molly upside down on his shoulder. He sighed a little and flipped her over on her feet.

"Thank you!" Molly thanked John as she pressed her hand to her head.

"You were fine." Sherlock rolled his eyes at Molly – she sighed inwardly.

"We have a question for the pair of you." John started.

"You're dance has been coming along really well!" Mary smiled brightly like a proud momma hen. Sherlock started to say something but Molly shot him a look and he shut his mouth. "But we had two dancers hurt themselves and they won't be back until after the first few performances."

"We need you two to fill in." John finished.

"We only have one week left of regular rehearsals." Molly knew Sherlock was good, but she had doubts about herself and wasn't really sure she could pull off an entirely new set, not with how complicated these dances were for this show.

"We know, but this set really works best with three pairs. I know you two can do it!" Mary nodded. "Come on!"

"I'll see you two after lunch." Laurence nodded as they left. John and Mary took them down to studio F.

"So _you two_ are going to be filling in for Kat and the other Will!" Sam beamed as Molly and Sherlock walked through the door.

"I guess so!" Molly was excited about being in a set with Sam, Rita, and Chris.

"Molly this is Tabitha." John led their new choreographer over. "Sherlock, play nice." Sherlock folded his arms, but didn't say anything.

"You will rehearse with them in the mornings and Laurence in the afternoons…good luck!" Mary smiled and pulled John after her and out of the studio.

"Molly, you are going to be paired with Chris and Sherlock you are paired with Sam." Tabitha motioned to Chris to step up.

"I'm not dancing with Molly?" Sherlock frowned.

"No. Chris is too short to lift Sam." Tabitha turned away from him as Sherlock started to step towards her, looking for an argument. Molly watched as Sherlock inhaled deeply. She stepped over to him and placed her hand on his chest. He looked down at her.

"Don't." His frown became even more pronounced. "Sherlock, don't. Please?" She gave him a small, questioning smile. He pursed his lips at her. "Just, deal with it, okay?"

"I don't want to." He said between clenched teeth. She pouted at him. "No." She batted her eyelashes. "Fine!"

"Sam is great. It will be fine." A smile stretched across her face as she nodded once. "Promise!" She bounced away from him to say hi to Chris.

* * *

"What was earlier about?" Rita whispered to Molly while they sat on the floor as Tabitha talked with the guys.

"What do you mean?" She asked finally taking her eyes off of Sherlock.

"Sherlock was ready for an argument." Sam bumped her shoulder.

"Oh." Molly didn't really want to explain the whole thing. "That was nothing." She tried to shrug it off.

"That was a loaded nothing." Rita eyed her. Molly sighed.

"There may have been a kiss?" She said softly. Rita and Sam inhaled deeply, winding up for a squeal. Molly slapped her hands over their mouths before they could make a sound. "Shh!" She hushed them.

"Sorry…so tell!" Sam bounced her knees against the floor, Rita just as excited.

"The Friday before last we were working on a very emotional and technical part of our set and I kind of kissed him. He kissed me back. He then took a cab home with me and I sent him off before I could invite him in and then he kissed me again. On Saturday morning I was here rehearsing, he showed up, we kissed, and then I told him that I just wanted to be friends." Molly rambled, hoping she was making sense as she threw her hands about in front of her.

"Wow." Sam managed as Rita looked completely shocked.

"Yeah." Molly stared at her hands.

"I thought he didn't do friendships?" Rita asked confused.

"I don't." Sherlock stared down at the three. The twins stared up at him with embarrassed looks. Molly rolled her eyes at him.

"Well you do now." She stretched her hands up and he pulled her to her feet. "Thank you."

"I don't." He said again as she started to walk away from him, Rita and Sam followed after her.

"You're not friends with John and Mary?" Molly asked with a bit of amusement in her voice.

"You do gossip about your partner." He said as he caught up with her.

"Girl talk." Sam said simply.

"Not talking to you." Sherlock threw over his shoulder.

"Don't be rude!" She punched him softly in the arm.

"You'll get in big trouble if you injure the star performer." He held the door at the bottom of the stairs open for her.

"Better hold that door like a gentleman would." She held her chin high as he locked his jaw and waited for Sam and Rita to walk through.

"Thank you my good sir." Sam gave a little curtsey.

Sherlock huffed at her but didn't say anything.

"This friend thing is not working out." He said as she sat down at the table. Rita, Sam, and Chris stared at him while Molly just smirked down at her hands.

"Shut up and sit down." She waited while he contemplated.

He sat down in the chair next to her.

* * *

It was the Monday before performances started and Chris had taken the three girls out to a little café for lunch, but Sherlock had disappeared. Molly had wandered back to their studio alone and was rewrapping her feet when John came in.

"Molly Hooper." John practically sang her name. She smiled up at him for her place on the floor. "Can I ask you something?" He pulled a chair over near her and sat down.

"Of course." She finished wrapping her feet.

"_What did you do to him!?_" John asked in bewilderment. She scrunched her nose at him. "Sherlock. What did you do to him?"

"Oh…I became his friend?" She held her hands up.

"Sherlock doesn't do friends."

"So I've been told." She got off the floor and pulled up a chair next to John. "Why are you asking?"

"I haven't seen him like this in a while. He is getting along with the group from your new set. He hasn't blown up at Laurence in a week. I see him smile now."

"Oh." Molly tapped her toes not knowing what else to say.

"He used to be like this all the time. Snarky and full of himself, but at least he was happy." Molly could tell John was reminiscing happy memories about Sherlock, so she stayed quiet. "Brandy thought he walked on water! She was crazy; we were all crazy back then!" He laughed.

"Who's Brandy?" Molly hadn't meant to ask it, but there it was.

"She was my cousin." Molly took great note of the 'was'. "She and I were in dance together and that's where we met Sherlock and Mary – the four of us where inseparable." Molly nodded, encouraging him to go on. "Brandy was the first partner that Sherlock truly clicked with. I was happy to have found Mary because I could do paired dancing and not have it be weird with my cousin."

Molly giggled as John made a weird face, making him laugh.

"So what happened?"

John stopped laughing and cleared his throat, sitting up a little.

"You are going to have to ask Sherlock."

"But she was cousin." Molly raised her eyebrows at him

"But she was Sherlock's." He said with a sad smile.

"A woman doesn't belong to anyone." Molly frowned at him. John chuckled a little.

"She gave herself, full heart and soul, to Sherlock." John stood up. "You'll have to ask him." Before leaving he turned back. "I just wanted to say thank you for bringing part of him back."

* * *

"You all have done an amazing job getting this show ready. The last two dress rehearsals have been perfect!" The entire company was again in studio A listening to another one of John's speeches.

"You are going to do great tonight!" Mary looked like she wanted to clap.

"Curtain in 30 minutes, places in 20!" John wiggled his hands in the air, dismissing his dancers.

Several dancers hurried back to the locker roomer to finish grabbing parts of costumes and make up bags. Molly followed Sam and Rita down to back stage, worrying a bit that she hadn't seen Sherlock yet.

Each dancer had their own mirror station and a small rack for hanging their costume changes. The three girls sat down and went about putting the finishing touches on their make-up.

"Ready?" Rita poked her with the end of her make-up brush.

"I guess." Molly chewed on the end of her own brush.

"Nervous?" She asked her again.

"Actually, no." Molly smiled.

"Then why are you destroying the end of that make-up brush?" Molly put the brush down on the counter and stared at it.

"I haven't seen Sherlock." She looked around again.

"Oh." Rita nodded in understanding. "Sherlock is never here until right before the show. It's his thing – even when he danced with Mary…I'll see you on stage." Rita disappeared in the sea of dancers that were backstage.

"Hello." His deep voice sent a chill down her spine.

"Hi." She said as he appeared in her mirror. "I was getting a little worried."

"I have never missed a performance." He sat down in Rita's chair.

"I'm sure you haven't." She smirked at him.

"FIVE MINUTES TILL PLACES!"

"Pushing it though." He rolled his eyes at her.

"_Nervous?_" He did his best impression of Mary, eliciting a small giggle from Molly.

"No." She said shortly, twirling her blush brush in her hand. "You?"

"Every time."

"Is that honesty?" She sat back with a bemused look.

"I'm trying it out." He shrugged.

"It suits you." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "For good luck." She stood up and started to walk towards the other dancers. He grabbed her arm and pulled her lips to his.

"For good luck." He mumbled.

* * *

"We need to work on the footwork after the leap." Sherlock had barely let her celebrate her first performance before starting in on where they had gone wrong. "Also, I think you need to – "

"Sherlock!" Molly groaned. "Can you give it a rest? I was looking forward to a quiet cab ride!"

"You invited me to join you." He stared at her blankly.

"No I didn't!" She shook her head as he blinked at her. "You kept rambling about all of the things we did wrong so I hailed a cab. As I turned to say good-night you pushed me in and got in yourself!"

"I wasn't done with our conversation."

Molly heaved a sigh.

"Right here." She pointed to a house on the right. "Sherlock, I will see you – " She stopped when all she saw was his coat billowing behind him as he got out of the cab. She ground her teeth, paid the cabbie, and got out.

"Tomorrow we can get a little rehearsing in." He said as she tried the door handle. It didn't budge so she knocked. "Be at the studio at 8?" She frowned up at him. "Where are we?" He finally looked at the house. The door opened.

"Mum!"

"Molly! You were wonderful! The whole thing was wonderful!" Her mother pulled her into a big hug. "Oh! And this, is this…?"

"Mum, this is Sherlock. Sherlock this is my mum." Molly enjoyed the shocked look on Sherlock's face.

"Right! Come in, come in!" Her mum ushered them both inside. "Hang up your coats!" Her mum disappeared into the kitchen.

"You don't have to stay." Molly giggled at him.

"If I stay will you be at the studio tomorrow?"

"No." She hung up her coat and put her hands on her hips. "I won't be at the studio until Monday morning and you shouldn't either."

"Fine." He turned for the door.

"Do you fancy some ice cream?" She asked before he opened it. He through a look over his shoulder at her then hung up his coat.

"Sure." He followed her into the kitchen. Her family stopped talking when they walked in.

"Everyone this is Sherlock, Sherlock this is my dad, my brother Michael and Jennifer."

"Sherlock Holmes!" Her dad stuck out his hand to him.

"Mr. Hooper." Sherlock gave him a forced smile.

"Your parents have Ben and April?" Molly asked Jennifer.

"Yea, the performance would have been too long for them." She took a bowl of ice cream from Mrs. Hooper. "You were amazing!"

"Thank you! It felt _amazing_ to perform again." Molly sat down in one of the chairs and nodded to Sherlock to sit down.

"Here you go!" Her mum handed the two of them full bowls of ice cream.

"Thank you!" Molly said in a sing song voice.

Molly would have been lying if she said she hadn't been shocked at Sherlock's behavior. He ate ice cream, had a drink, and made small talk. He smiled and laughed. Was he snarky and full of himself? Yes. But he surprised her none the less.

"So you do have a human side." Molly remarked once they were back inside another cab. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it. "What?"

"Don't tell anyone." He gave her a lopsided grin.

"Now you're making jokes!"

"I don't usually drink." He looked away from her as if he hadn't meant to say it. "Can you stop here?" He asked the cabbie.

"Is this you?" Molly highly doubted Sherlock lived in the run down part of the city.

"I'll see you Monday morning." He kissed her cheek and disappeared.

* * *

"Good-morning!" Molly greeted Mary and Laurence. They both gave her worried looks. "I know! I'm a little late, didn't even bother to stop at the locker room. Sorry!" She dropped her bag on a chair. She turned back and noticed they were still giving her the same look. "What's wrong?"

"Have you read the reviews?" Mary held up a newspaper for her. She shook her head no. "Here." Molly took it and scanned the first review.

_…__Sherlock Holmes was paired with JWat's newest and most upcoming dancer, Molly Hooper. The pair was featured in the opening number with a spectacular lift, but the real favorite of the night was the number that Holmes and Hooper danced together at the end. It's no secret that Holmes has been the star of the company since it started, but on Saturday night Holmes stood in the shadow of his partner. JWat may have just found their new star in Miss Hooper. The company…_

She scanned the second review.

_…__Holmes was out danced by his new partner Molly Hooper. This is the first time…_

She scanned the third review.

_…__The question to ask, is Holmes slipping? Or is his new partner better than…_

"Oh no." Molly looked at the two horrified. "Do you know if he's read them?"

"John went to his flat this morning to try and get him here without seeing a newspaper." Mary sighed and sat down.

"Maybe we are overreacting." Laurence offered.

"You've met him. Are we overreacting?" Mary asked.

"No." Laurence said in defeat. Molly stared down at the paper in her hands. She was torn between being elated and filled with dread. People had liked her. _Really _liked her!

"I'm going to put this away before he gets here." Molly started for her bag, but the door of the studio flew open and in walked Sherlock with John right behind him.

"Ah! You have a paper! May I borrow it?" He asked reaching for it, his fingers gripping the edge.

"NO!" The four of them yelled at him. Molly held on to it with dear life. Sherlock raised an eyebrow at them and tugged the paper out of Molly's fingers, a small corner tearing off in her hands.

John, Mary, and Laurence started babbling trying to get Sherlock's attention away from the reviews. Molly just stood in silence watching him read the reviews; his face growing angrier by the minute.

"In the shadow? OUT DANCED? _SLIPPING?!_" He yelled silencing the room.

"Sherlock, you are being a bit dramatic." Mary tried to play it off, but he gave her an icy glare.

"'_The question to ask, is Holmes slipping?!_'" He yelled again. "I'm not slipping!" He was furious. He turned to John. "This is your fault!"

"MINE?! How is it mine?!"

"You partnered me! You put me in a pair! And with someone who hasn't been training for the last six years!"

"Formally training…but so what! The paper said she was _better _than you!" John spat back at him.

The door to the studio slammed shut and Molly's stuff was gone.

"She's gone! Thanks to you, she's gone!" John looked as if he wanted to punch Sherlock in the face.

"Alright you two." Mary stood up and put space between them. "Sherlock, you need to go and apologize to her. Right now. This isn't her fault."

"I know!" He threw the paper on the ground and stomped off.

* * *

Molly had held her tears in until she shut her front door. She sank down to the floor, shaking. She knew it had been a bad idea when she first saw their names together on the set list. She knew it had been a bad idea to kiss him and an even worse one to try and become his friend. She was mad at herself and –

There was a knock at the door that interrupted her self-pitying thoughts. She ran the sleeve of her jacket of her face, trying to clear away the tears.

"Hold on." She dug in her purse finding a tissue and wiped at her nose. She yanked the door open and was face to face with a sheepish looking Sherlock.

"Hello." He ran his hand through his hair.

"Please go away." She tried shutting the door on him, but he just pushed past and into her home. "Sherlock, this really isn't a good time." She tossed her jacket on the couch and folded her arms across her chest.

"We were supposed to be rehearsing, so I know you're not busy." He dropped his jacket as well.

"Then what can I help you with?" She sniffed.

"An apology." He sat down in her arm chair.

"You want me to apologize to you?!" She couldn't believe him.

"NO!" He sprang out of the chair. "No. Me. I need to apologize to you." He grabbed her hands and pulled her to the couch. "I am the best dancer at JWat."

"This does not sound like an apology." He pressed his finger to her mouth.

"I have been better than most of my partners and I thought it was going to continue to be that way."

"Still not sounding like an apology." She frowned at him. "You said I was 'special', but when other people recognize it, its cause to throw a temper tantrum."

"You are…I just thought that…I was more." He stumbled over his words, sounding so unlike himself.

"This is the worst apology I have ever heard!" Molly threw her hands in the air, no longer upset, just irritated.

"NO! I just!" He groaned and grabbed her face, pressing his lips to hers. He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

She hesitated for just a moment before pulling him on top of her. She laced her fingers in his hair again and leaned back, resting her head on the arm of the couch. He played with the hem of her jumper and she clawed at his back, wanting to rid him of his shirt. He pushed himself off of her and up on to his feet. He held his hand down to her.

"Bedroom?" He asked as he helped her up.

"This way!" She gave him a flirtatious smile and pulled him along by the front of his shirt.

She turned back to him and captured his lips again. They stumbled backwards into her bedroom, producing a hiss as Molly stepped on her cat's tail.

"Sorry Toby!" She giggled as she untucked Sherlock's shirt. He pulled her jumper over her head and slid his hands down her sides slowly. She tugged at his belt and pushed his trousers off his hips.

"Friends don't do this." He whispered as he unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor.

"No. They. Don't." She said as she placed several kisses along his jaw.

* * *

Molly hurriedly put on her dressing robe and pulled her hair back into a bun as three knocks came from her front door.

"Be right there!" Molly called as Sherlock watched, amused, from the bed. "Oh shut it you!" She tossed a pillow at him before leaving.

"Sorry! I was – John!" She was surprised to find him standing on her doorstep.

"Hi. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Can I come in?" She didn't know what else to do, so she stepped aside and let him in. "I wanted to apologize for having paired you up with such a prat."

"Oh, not a big deal." Molly waved her hand.

"Did he come and apologize yet?" John sounded like he didn't want to know the real answer.

"He, umm, yea, I mean, kind of, well – "

"Yes I apologized." Sherlock walked out of her bedroom topless. She felt her cheeks growing hotter by the minute.

"Oh. OH!" John stared between the two of them. "I'm going to go now!" Before either of them could say another word John was out the door.

"It was a bloody awful apology." Molly snickered, putting a kettle on.

"I said sorry." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "You seemed to enjoy it." He gave her a knowing look.

"That wasn't the apology! That was the make-up sex." She hit his chest.

"I'm good at that." He kissed her neck, sending shivers down her arms.

"No arguments here."


	5. Chapter 5

They didn't leave Molly's home that day and spent most of the evening wrapped in each other's arms in her bed. Sherlock was quiet for the most part as Molly talked. She told him about her family and how they had always been close and that her mother's illness had only made them grow even closer. She told him about Jen's pregnancy with Ben and how it had been a hard one – all of them fearing they would lose both Jen and Ben – and how it made her question if she wanted kids at all.

She told him about the kids she had just recently taught how to dance. All of their parents thought they were the best and were sure their kids were going to grow up and end up on the stage. The kids were truly lovely, most of them just didn't have the stuff to make it.

She told him about her first dance company and her partner Jeff. The two years she had spent at the company had been the happiest times for her until she joined JWat. Jeff and she worked together during school and when they finished they joined the company together. They were always paired and made the small town headlines in every show they danced. He had been a good dancer and a strong leader, but he didn't compare to Sherlock.

"In bed or on the dance floor?" He asked seriously. She punched his arm.

She and Jeff still talked some, but not a lot. He had left their old company and had moved onto a bigger one. He stared in most of their shows and traveled a lot. There had been a few other people from the company she stayed in touch with, but they had all but lost contact over the last year.

She told him how her family had moved when she was only ten. She hadn't had many friends, but the ones she had she never spoke to again. When they moved into their new house and her parents opened the business the only friends she made were people she danced with. She and Jeff were only twelve when they were paired together.

He asked her about previous boyfriends.

"My boyfriend? Is that what you are?" She asked jokingly.

"Yes." He said straight faced. "I see no point to causal sex." She smiled back kissing him hard.

She had only had three serious boyfriends. When she was sixteen she started seeing another boy who was in the same dance class as she and Jeff. He was nice and a good dancer, but he was never good enough to be paired with Molly. After seven months they broke up because he couldn't handle how close she and Jeff were.

Then when she was nineteen she met an older man who was twenty-five. He was sweet and caring, but they never clicked. When Molly found out her mum was sick, she continued to date him for a little while, but just couldn't deal with her mum's illness and trying too hard at a relationship that wasn't really working. He had been surprised when Molly told him she couldn't see him anymore, but understood.

Then she met Tom about a year and a half later. She was twenty-two and he was twenty-four. They started dating as her mum was recovering and he was able to celebrate with her family as she was finally deemed in remission. He proposed to Molly in front of her family the Christmas after her twenty-third birthday.

Her first reaction was to run when she saw the ring. She wanted to take the ring and throw it into the fire place and disappear. But she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and smiled at the smiling faces that were waiting for her reply and said yes. They were only engaged for four months before Molly broke it off breaking Tom and her mum's hearts.

"What about you?" She asked as she ran her hand down his chest. She watched his rise as he inhaled deeply and let is out slowly.

"Only one serious girlfriend, lasted a little while, but didn't end well." He rolled them over and started snogging the breath out of her again signifying the end of the conversation.

"What about your family?" She asked, having freed her lips from his. If he wasn't going to come out and tell her about Brandy then he wasn't going to get what he wanted.

"Mum and dad still married. One brother." He nuzzled her neck.

"What do they do? What are they like?" She kept asking questions. He finally stopped kissing her and sighed into the crock of her neck.

"Molly, would you rather hear about my rather boring up bringing or…" He wiggled his hand down between their bodies. "Do this?" He asked, slipping his fingers inside her. She gasped at the sudden intrusion. She welcomed him by opening her legs wider and pulling his mouth down to collide with hers.

* * *

She woke up to a cold bed. She looked around and noticed all his clothes were gone.

"Sherlock?" She called out but the only response she received was a meow from Toby as he jumped up on the bed. "I may have made a mistake." She told the cat as he bumped his nose against hers. She suppressed a cry that was building her in throat and thumped back against the bed.

She sprang back up when she heard the front door opening. She could barely see the front door from her room and saw a slender figure moving.

"Sherlock?"

"I got you coffee." He walked in hold a cup of (expensive looking) coffee and a small bag. "And breakfast." He handed her the coffee and the bag. She opened it and smile.

"I like muffins." She kissed his cheek. Then she looked him head to toe and realized he was wearing different clothes than yesterday. "You changed?"

"Yes. I decided a clean pair of clothes was more appropriate." She just nodded her head at him.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Molly asked as Sherlock tugged on her arm. He stopped and looked back at her, still holding her hand.

"To rehearsal?" He pulled on her arm and she flew forward against his chest with a laugh.

"We are working with the group today." She reminded him and pulled out of his arms. He sighed and pouted at her. "I didn't make up the rehearsal schedule." She laughed at him.

"Hey!" Molly turned and saw Rita and Sam walking around the corner. "We didn't see you yesterday. Where were you?"

"Oh…I came in a little late and left early?" Molly shrugged. Sherlock shook his head at her.

"Just tell them. You're going to tell them later when you think I'm not listening." He planted a kiss on her lips and walked into studio F. Molly couldn't keep the smile off her face as Rita and Sam gawked at her.

"What happened yesterday?!" They squealed at her.

"We kind of became a couple." She bounced a little as she let the excitement of telling someone wash over her.

"But how?" Rita was still stunned.

"I actually did get here a little later yesterday morning, but Sherlock and John were even later. Mary, Laurence, and I were trying to keep Sherlock from reading the reviews."

"I had a thought about that when I read them." Sam nodded in understanding.

"He read them anyways and get really angry and I left." Molly led the two into the studio and stood off to the side on the guys stretched. "He came over and apologized. And then we spent the rest of the day in bed."

"Is he as good as we all think he should be?!" Sam asked.

"Yes." She nodded with a wide smile. "He is."

"Must have been one hell of an apology." Rita was bewildered.

"Actually, the apology was bloody awful!"

"It wasn't that bad." The sound of Sherlock's voice right behind her made her jump. She looked up at him and back to Rita and Sam mouthing 'Yes it was'.

"The apology was awful. The sex was good." She turned around and watched as Sherlock's cheeks turned red. "Mr. Holmes, did I make you blush?"

"I hate when women talk to each other." He wandered away from them.

* * *

"Do you think he was using her?" Mary asked worriedly.

"No!" John shook his head in disagreement.

"Sherlock Holmes interested in another woman?" She smiled at him.

"She makes him better. She challenges him to be better." John leaned back in his office chair. "I think he is desperate for a moral compass."

"If all he is craving is for someone to give him guidelines then – "

"I don't think it's like that."

"You think he genuinely cares for her?" Mary was hopeful.

"I do genuinely care for her." Sherlock walked into John's office and sat in the third chair.

"Good!" Mary leaned over and squeezed his arm. "She is a very sweet woman."

"Don't screw this up!" John pointed at him.

"Do spend your time worrying about something else." Sherlock rolled his eyes, but shifted uncomfortably in his chair. They noticed.

"You're scared." Mary folded her arms, examining Sherlock.

"Am not." He said shortly.

"You're scared that you're going to mess this up."

"You really like her!" John finished. Sherlock sniffed and stood up.

"Yes, well, I was bound to find sentiment one day." He turned to leave.

"Sherlock?" He turned back to Mary with an annoyed look. "I'm happy for you." He pursed his lips trying to hold back a smile as he left.

* * *

It had been two months and Molly still wasn't sure how to feel about their new relationship. She enjoyed the time she spent with him and was excited to see him stretching outside of his comfort area. He spent time with her while she hung out with Rita, Sam, and Chris and he invited her over for dinner with Mary and John. He got to know her brother and sister-in-law and even did a puzzle with Ben.

But she always woke up alone. No matter what. He made it to her bed almost every night. It didn't matter if they had spent the evening together or if she had been out with just Sam and Rita, he would come over later, even if it was just to hold her as they drifted off to sleep. But when she woke he was gone, he was always gone.

There was always a note on the pillow from him. '_Good morning beautiful…' _was how he addressed it every day. _'I'll see you at rehearsal'_ or _'Let's have lunch before the performance' _or _'I'll be back for Sunday dinner'_ always followed it. The notes always made her smile, but part of her still woke ever day hoping he would be there.

He hadn't taken her to his place yet. She had suggested it several times, but each time he had a good reason why they should go back to hers. She wanted to ask him way but was scared of the outcome. He seemed to be finally unfolding from years of seclusion and she didn't want to undo that.

"Thank you Molly." Mary smiled at her as John and Sherlock washed dishes.

"Why?" She asked taking a sip of her drink.

"Because I am getting to see the Sherlock that I used to know."

"John said something like that just after Sherlock and I partnered together." Molly frowned down at her hands.

"You want to know what happened to him?" Mary asked knowingly. Molly nodded yes. "Oh, I wish I could tell you, but you are going to have to ask him."

Why did she keep getting that answer? _Ask him_. Well asking him was proving far harder than either John or Mary made it sound. Every time she got up the nerve to ask him about Brandy, he gave her a look or said something that made her think twice about it. Instead, she focused all her energy into asking him about his place and finally, one day, she just blurted it out.

"Why do we never spend time at your place?" It was Saturday night and they were both exhausted from the performance they had just had. Sherlock looked up at her from his place on the floor. Molly pulled her legs up under her on the chair, trying to make herself smaller.

"My bed isn't as comfortable as yours." He finally answered.

"But I haven't even been there. I don't even know where you live." She tightened her grip on the blanket that was wrapped around her.

"Baker Street." He seemed irritated at her inquiries.

"Okay. Why haven't you taken me there? Are you trying to hide something from me?" Molly watched as a wave of panic washed over Sherlock's face.

"It's cramped." He swallowed. Molly squinted at him.

"Are you trying to lie to me?" She asked seriously. He stared at her for a moment without saying anything and then blinked and gave her a broad grin.

"Why would I need to lie to you about something like that?" He dropped the book that he was reading on the floor.

"I don't know." She played with the edge of her sleeve. He moved over until he was kneeling in front of her. "I guess there would be no reason." He stretched up and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"No there wouldn't be." He whispered as he pushed the blanket off her shoulders and started pulling on her jumper.


	6. Chapter 6

Sherlock paced around Mary and John's kitchen. The two ate their breakfast in silence while Lilly babbled in her bassinet in the corner. Sherlock stopped and opened his mouth several times then shut it and started pacing again. After ten minutes of this John had had enough.

"Sherlock – either spit it out or go away." Sherlock stopped pacing at John's words and sat down, tapping his fingers on the table rapidly.

"Did you snort something this morning?" Mary questioned as she looked over the paper. Sherlock stopped the tapping and steepled his hands under his chin.

"I lied to her." He finally managed evenly. "I lied to Molly."

* * *

**Age 14:**

"Sherlock? Can you please come here?" His dance teacher called. He had been stretching and rolled his eyes at her interruption, but made is way over to her. "I want you to meet Brandy Watson. Brandy this is Sherlock Holmes."

The girl reached out a hand to him with a smile. He looked her head to toe. She was the same age as him and slightly shorter. Her eyes were green and her hair was the color of honey, just hitting her shoulders. He could tell she had been dancing for a while and by the look on his teacher's face she was good.

"Hello." He said as he finally shook her hand.

"I am going to be pairing you two up for the time being. I know you have had some…difficulties with partners in the past." His teacher tried to push past the memories. "But, I really want you two to give this a go." She smiled at the pair and left to talk to her other students.

"How long have you been dancing?" Brandy's smile was so big it almost scared Sherlock.

"Several years." Sherlock said shortly and went back to stretching.

"Oh, me too!" She bounced after him and started to stretch too. "That's my cousin, John." She pointed to a blonde boy who their teacher was now talking to. "Do you know who that girl is?"

"Mary Morstan." Sherlock sat down.

"Is she nice?" Sherlock frowned at her. "Well, is she a good dancer?" Brandy asked as she brought her leg over her head.

"Adequate." Sherlock had been paired with Mary twice before. She was alright but not up to his level.

"Oooookay." Brandy clicked her tongue at him. Sherlock could tell she was contemplating staying silent or talking more, he was hoping for the former. "Here's the thing." She sat down facing him. "I like dancing. I'm bubbly. I like people in general. I love having fun and laughing." Sherlock sighed at her. "You obviously don't."

"I do not see the point is small talk." He pushed his unruly hair out of his face.

"You sound like you're 30." Brandy giggled. "We're young. We're supposed to have fun!" She pushed his shoulder slightly. He started at where her hand had touched him and then gave her a questioning look. "Fine. Don't be fun."

* * *

"Sherlock can you wait a minute?" As the other kids filed out of the studio he threw himself down in a chair and waited impatiently for his teacher.

"I know you aren't found of your new partner." She looked him in the eyes getting his attention.

"She's annoying." He said without blinking.

"She's friendly."

"She talks too much."

"Maybe you don't talk enough." He looked away from her. "Whatever the reason is that you can't seem to keep partners, please don't let it interfere this time." He crossed his arms across his chest. "You two were great today."

"Can I go?" He wined. She shook her head at him slightly then nodded yes.

* * *

"I want to meet her, that's why!" His mother hushed him as she walked into the studio beside him.

"She's nothing special." Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes she is. You won't shut up about her…now, which one?"

"Hi Sherlock!" Brandy bounced past them with a smile on her face.

"Oh, that's her alright." Sherlock looked at his mum in confusion. "I can tell by that look on your face." Brandy walked back, still smiling. "Hi. I'm Mrs. Holmes, Sherlock's mother."

"Hi, I'm Brandy."

"And I'm going to go stretch." Sherlock said in a bored tone.

* * *

"Are you going to keep staring at her or are you going to try and get your paper done?" John tapped his pen on Sherlock's book. He had dragged Sherlock back to his house do his school work knowing it was the only way he would get it done.

"I don't understand why any of this matters!" Sherlock groaned and leaned his head on the kitchen table.

"Because your mother cares and if you don't do this you won't be able to dance." Sherlock only groaned louder at John's words. "Whatever!" John pushed away from the table and disappeared upstairs.

Sherlock heard soft footfalls and rolled his head on the table to see Brandy standing next to him.

"Give me your hand." Brandy wiggled her fingers at Sherlock.

"Why?" He frowned at her, sitting up.

"You have been practically living in my house for the last six months and you are questioning me?" He took her hand and let her lead.

She pulled him to the back yard and stopped in front of a tree with some low limbs. She let go of his hand and grabbed onto the lowest limb. She pulled herself up off the ground and swung her leg over so she was seated on the limb.

"Come on." She reached her hand down and helped him up. As soon as he was on the branch she climbed up a few more limbs until she was about half way up the tree leaning against the trunk. "Are you coming?" He looked down at the ground and then back to her. "Never climbed a tree before?"

"No." He said shortly and followed after her. He settled on a branch that was a little lower than hers, and steadied himself by hooking his arm over the branch she was sitting on. "Why are we up here?"

"I was seven when my parents died…It was their anniversary and I was staying here for the night. They had been out to dinner and the theater. There was a bad storm that night and someone had given a drunk his keys to drive home." Sherlock shifted uncomfortably as he listened. "My dad used to buy me an ice cream cone on his way home from work. He would take me to the back yard and set me up on the tree limbs and just talk to me." She smiled at the memory. "This tree was a lot smaller seven years ago…My aunt and uncle had a hard time finding things that would get me out of this tree besides dance…My mom had been a dancer and I always wanted to be like her."

Brandy finally stopped talking and smiled down at Sherlock.

"I." He ruffled his already messy hair. "I have a paper I need to finish. If I don't my mum will keep me out of dance until I do." He climbed down the tree and headed back inside. A few minutes later John was running out the back door and up to the base of the tree.

"Thank you!" He called up to her as she started to climb down.

"Welcome…but I still don't get it. Why would it matter how I feel about dance?" She asked as she dropped to the ground.

"You two are idiots."

* * *

**Age 15:**

"Brandy, would you like to have coffee?"

"Coffee? You're 15 Sherlock, not 25." John rolled his eyes as he sat on his bed. Sherlock looked hopeless as he stared into John's mirror.

"Brandy, would you like to grab dinner?" He asked hopefully.

"Grab dinner? Again, you're 15!" John chuckled.

"Then what am I supposed to say?" Sherlock asked as he fell face first into John's bed. "Brandy, I think you're hot, wanna go snog?!"

"Sure." Sherlock shot up off the bed as John broke down laughing. Brandy smiled from the doorway. "Honestly though, after a year I thought you would have come up with something better." She bit her bottom lip as she giggled at the horrified Sherlock.

"I thought you and Mary were out shopping." He finally managed.

"We were." She shrugged and walked over to him. "By the way John," She leaned around Sherlock to look at John. "Mary bought a new dress and wants you to see it. At her house. Where her parents aren't home." John grabbed his jacket and was out the door.

"Bye!" He called as he ran down the stairs.

"Bye!" Brandy called back to him as she stared up at Sherlock. "Did you really think I didn't know?"

"I was hoping." He gave her a genuine half smile.

"Sherlock Holmes does know how to smile. I was beginning to think – " He cut her off by pressing his lips to hers.

"Ice cream?" He asked as he stepped away from her.

"Yes!" She laced her fingers with his. "And after we should stop by Mary's…we have a snogging session to interrupt!" She pulled him after her giggling the whole way.

* * *

**Age 19:**

"I like when your parents go away on holiday." Brandy snuggled closer to Sherlock, rubbing her nose on his bare chest. "It was a great birthday present to me."

"Mhm." He hummed in agreement as he kissed her forehead. They lay silently together while their breathing synched up and Sherlock started to drift off.

"Sherlock?"

"Mhm?" He questioned sleepily.

"Move in with me."

"I don't think your Aunt and Uncle want another person living in their house." He tightened his grip around her.

"Our own place you idiot!" She nudged him in the rib with her elbow.

"I'm not sure your Aunt and Uncle would like that any better." He smiled.

"Probably not." She kissed his shoulder, frowning. She went quiet again, thinking. "Move in with me?"

"Okay."

* * *

"I found it!" Brandy yelled as she came running into their studio and flung her arms around Sherlock's neck.

"We did _just_ start here, so if you could not get us fired, that would be great." John frowned at his cousin.

"Oh, shut it you!" She said to John before turning her attention back to Sherlock. "I found it! I found our new flat!"

"Can I at least see it before you go and rent it? You've only been looking for a week." Sherlock furrowed his brow at her.

"You are going to love it!"

* * *

"We know you two like this flat, but it's been three months." Mary said as she pulled on her jacket.

"Are you ever going to leave it?" John asked the couple that had just settled into the couch. They looked at each other and smiled.

"No." They said in unison.

"Please come with us!" Mary begged Brandy. "That new romance you wanted to see is out. Come see it with us!" Brandy pursed her lips as Sherlock whispered in her ear, her cheeks turning red.

"I think I'll stay here."

"Eww." John looked disgusted by the two and made his way from the flat. "Come on Mary, you don't want to be a part of any of this."

* * *

**Age 20:**

Sherlock stood in front of a small group of their close friends and family. He looked nervous as he adjusted his tie. He hated ties, but Brandy had always loved them, so for her, today he wore one. He inhaled slowly and wiped at his red eyes.

"Eight months ago Brandy made a doctor's appointment at my encouragement. She went and they ran tests. A few days later the doctor called her and asked her to come back in. I went with her and we sat nervous in his office for fifteen minutes before he joined us. He told us that she had Acute Leukemia. I remember Brandy grabbing my hand and asking a lot of questions. We were there for two hours discussing treatment plans and course of actions. In the end she told him she didn't any heroics." He cleared his throat and blinked. He had been crying for two days straight and wasn't sure how to turn it off – Sherlock Holmes didn't cry. "The doctor tried to reason with her, but all she said was,

'I'm a dancer. I'm going to dance until I can't anymore. And when I can't, then all I want is to be comfortable until the end.'

"And…" He cleared his throat again. "She did. She did dance. The last time she did was on her birthday…just 20 years." Sherlock opened his mouth to say something but felt a cry coming up so snapped it shut. He looked at John with a pleading look in his eyes. John quickly jumped up and patted Sherlock on the back, ushering him to sit down.

"She did indeed dance. My cousin was at her most…"

Sherlock's intention was to sit back down next to Mary, but his legs carried him out of the room. When he felt the cool air whip across his tear streaked face he broke into a run. He continued to run as it started to rain. He continued to run until most of the city was behind him. He ran until his legs and lungs gave out on him, dropping to his knees, mud splattering up his front. He sat panting for a minute trying to fill his lungs with air, letting the down pouring rain beat on his shoulders.

When his breathing had returned to normal he stood up, clenching his fists. He took a deep breath and let out an animalist yell, screaming until his lungs hurt again. He took a step back and staggered a little, breathing hard. He ripped the tie from around his neck and dropped it into the mud. He stared down at it and stepped on it as he started his way back into the city. It had stopped raining and by the time Sherlock got back to the flat, he was almost dry.

On his way up to his flat, he snatched several bottles of alcohol from his land lady and locked himself away. He pealed his dirty clothes off and grabbed a bottle of hard liquor that Sherlock wouldn't remember the name of in the morning, and then crawled into bed.

* * *

"I talked to the director this morning." John said as he pulled the covers off of Sherlock's head. He grumbled at him and reached for a half empty bottle next to his bed but John was quicker and snatched it up. "He said that you quit. Two months ago!" He yelled.

Sherlock squinted at him. Between the sunlight that was now weighing down on him and John's voice visibly bouncing off the walls, he felt his stomach start to turn.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Doesn't matter." He pulled the cover back over his head.

"Yes it does! You haven't had a paycheck in at least four months! How do you expect to keep your flat? Buy food?"

"You sound like my father." Sherlock heard John's feet retreated from the bedroom. Thinking that he had won, Sherlock relaxed as he waited to hear the door of the flat close. But it didn't. In fact a few minutes later Sherlock heard clanking coming from the kitchen and it took him longer than it should have to realize what John was doing. "You bastard!" Sherlock yelled as he tossed the blankets to the floor. As he placed both feet on the ground, the whole room started to sway and his stomach lurched again. He tripped and fell into the wall before making his way to the kitchen, stark naked.

Sherlock growled when he saw that John already had half of the bottles emptied down the sink and had the last ones upended.

"What do you think you're going to do? Fight me?" John asked in an amused tone. Sherlock set his jaw and lunged for John. He missed and hit one of the kitchen chairs, puking all over the seat.

"Shit, Sherlock!" John jumped back to avoid being splattered.

Sherlock coughed and spit out the last bit of bile, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What is wrong with you?" John asked quietly.

"She died, or did you forget that?"

"Forget? Did I forget? Just because I haven't thrown myself into the gutters with you means I have forgotten?!" John balled up his fists wanting to punch Sherlock in the gut. "I haven't forgotten. She was my cousin, my best friend. The four of us were inseparable and now it's just the three of us. You don't think that Mary and I feel that loss?"

Sherlock's anger faded and he slumped to the ground. John sighed and picked him up off the ground. He pulled Sherlock into the bathroom and forced him to take a shower while he cleaned the kitchen and put clean sheets on the bed. He made Sherlock a small sandwich out of the scraps of okay food in the fridge and gave him some medicine for his head. While Sherlock ate John cleaned the empty bottles and trash out of Sherlock's room. When that was done John sent him back to bed and continued to clean the flat and made a run to the story for some groceries.

When Sherlock woke a few hours later, John was sitting in the living room reading a magazine. The kitchen was clean and the fridge was full. His flat was back to normal – just the way Brandy had always kept it.

"Thank you." Sherlock whispered as he sank into his chair.

"I am only going to say this to you once, so listen." John tossed the magazine onto the desk and scooted to the front of the couch. "This isn't what Brandy would want. She would want you to live your life – to continue to dance. Do what you were meant to do, not drink your life away. And you know how Brandy felt about drinking. The guy who killed her parents was drunk and right now that is all you are aspiring to be." Sherlock shrunk into his chair even more. "We all lost her Sherlock. You don't have to go through this alone. Mary and I, we miss Brandy, but we don't need to miss you too."

Sherlock started to say something, but John interrupted him.

"Mary and I have been talking. Ever since I sprained my ankle last spring, my dancing hasn't been the same. It's getting to be too hard for me to do the easy things. Mary needs a partner and you're the best there is."

"What are you going to do?"

"Mary and I are starting our own company. I'm going to be the director." Sherlock blinked at him several times, not sure if he was still feeling the effects of his hang over or not. "I don't need to dance. I enjoyed it, but mostly I did it because Brandy was doing it and then I did it to be close with Mary. But you need a partner and Mary is as good as any other dancer." John stood up and put his coat on. "Don't disappear. We need you."

* * *

Mary sat at their kitchen table playing with her wedding band as John made her breakfast. Their engagement had been short and the wedding planning hurried.

John had gone to tell Brandy and Sherlock he was going to purpose to Mary the day after Brandy had been to the doctor's. When Brandy told him she was sick he told her he was going to wait and that the next few months were going to be about her. Sherlock laughed when Brady smacked him across the face and called him an idiot. She told him that the last thing she wanted to do most was dance at their wedding and there was no way he was going to stop her.

A week after Brandy had told her family and close friends, John purposed to Mary. The four of them were out for a walk in the park and Mary sobbed because she couldn't imagine anyone else being her maid of honor. Brandy smiled and told her to stop crying because they had a wedding to plan. They were married seven months later on Brandy's birthday as per her request and she danced the entire night.

"It's been two weeks. Do you think we should be worried?"

"I don't think he could get any worse than he was." John sighed as he set their plates on the table. "I just hope he is considering it."

"I did." They were both startled by his presence in their kitchen. "The front door was open." John stared at Sherlock in shock. The last time he had seen Sherlock he looked underfed and tired. This morning he looked like he was eating again and had gotten enough sleep the night before.

"You look good." Mary gave him a small smile as John served up another plate.

"Thank you." He unbuttoned his jacket as he sat down. They ate in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry." Mary reached over and squeezed his hand. He nodded at her. "You need a partner and John needs a staring pair to feature in his new company. I think we can give that to him."

"I think we can too."

* * *

"You have to be honest with her Sherlock." Mary said as she bounced Lilly after Sherlock got done telling them what had happened.

"Hey Molly, I had this great girlfriend who I was madly in love with, she died, and then I dove head first into a depressive and destructive state, but no worries, John and Mary pulled me out with dance and you remind me what it feels like to be truly alive."

"Some version of that." John chuckled. Sherlock looked at him, displeased. "What? You were the one who said it."

"I can't say any of that to her!" Sherlock slammed his hands on the table causing Lilly to start to wine. Mary frowned at Sherlock and handed Lilly to him. He always calmed down tenfold when holding Lilly.

"Just because you tell Molly doesn't mean that your feelings and memories with Brandy will mean anything less." Sherlock rocked Lilly in his arms. "I know that flat was yours and Brandy's home, but letting Molly in won't change anything that happened there. Molly being a part of your life doesn't change the past. That's the thing about the past, its permanent."

Sherlock shifted Lilly in his arms and started feeding her the bottle John handed him. He frowned, looking torn.

"Do you feel bad about being happy with someone else?" John rubbed his forehead, tiring of the conversation.

"Yes."

"You can't feel guilty about it. Brandy wanted you to live your life, you know that. She wanted you to be happy."

"Well, she got her wish." Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"I have never met a more insufferable man." Mary sighed as she started to wash the dishes.


	7. Chapter 7

Mary entered studio B and smiled as everyone who had been asked to come early that Monday was there already. Except Sherlock. She rolled her eyes and muttered to herself. She found Molly who was talking with the twins and waved her over.

"Hey." She smiled brightly at her.

"So, how…are things?" Mary squinted a little, not sure what to expect.

"Oh, great!" Molly nodded enthusiastically. "Everyone has been really welcoming and the show seems to be going over really well."

"Good, good." Mary mused. "How are things with Sherlock?" She tried asking as casually as possible.

"Oh!" Molly giggled. "Good." Mary smiled at her, but Molly looked down and fidgeted her feet. "Can I be honest?" Mary looked worried and nodded yes. "I still feel like he is holding back. I mean, I know he is."

"What do you mean?"

"When Sherlock and I started partnering John had mentioned…Brandy."

"Oh." Mary said in understanding. "When you asked me about him a few weeks ago, why didn't you tell me you knew about Brandy?"

"Because I don't know about Brandy." Mary looked at her confused. "All I know is that Brandy and Sherlock were together and she was John's cousin."

"Sherlock hasn't said _anything_ to you about her?"

"No." Molly shrugged.

"Why haven't you asked?" Mary was growing more and more irritated with Sherlock.

"I don't want to pry." It sounded most like a question than an answer.

Mary opened her mouth but she spotted John and just smiled at Molly.

"Morning." He smiled at Molly as she went back over to join the other dancers. He turned to his wife and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"It's been over three weeks since Sherlock talked to us!" Mary said through gritted teeth.

"He still hasn't said anything to her has he?" John sighed.

"No!" She closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose trying to calm herself. She opened her eyes and was only more enraged when she saw Sherlock walking up to them.

"So, why do you have us – " Sherlock's words were stopped as Mary's hand made contact with the side of his face. The crack echoed in the studio and all of the dancers turned to look at the three. John rubbed his neck as he noticed Molly's furrowed brow, glad no one saw what happened. "Are you going to tell me why I deserved that?" Sherlock fought to keep his hand down at his side with multiple pairs of eyes on him.

"You still haven't told her you lied to her!" Mary wanted to yell at him.

"No." He shrugged a bit. "No good time."

"She knows about Brandy." Mary crossed her arms. Sherlock's eyes went round at her words.

"How do you know that?" John blinked at her several times. She rolled her eyes as the dancers went back to talking amongst themselves.

"Molly told me you mentioned her."

Sherlock turned to John looking like he might punch him.

"It was before you two started dating." Sherlock set his jaw. "Hey, this is not my fault…it's all yours." John held up his hands in defense. "We don't have time for this now. Go sit with the company." John dismissed Sherlock and turned to Mary, sorting out some paper work.

Sherlock stalked away from the couple in search of Molly. She smiled brightly at him and placed a kiss on his cheek as he sat down.

"Hello!"

"Hi." He said as he finally let himself rub his red cheek.

"Umm…" Molly squinted at him, confused. "Is everything alright?" He looked at her, his face unreadable. "Sherlock?"

"Morning!" John's voice echoed in the pretty empty studio. They had only asked twenty of their dancers to come in and it made the studio look huge. "As you already know we are extending this show's run. It has been so well received that we are selling out weeks in advance." The dancers applauded their success. "We want to do two different smaller matinee shows during the week while we continue who our regular show."

"The show that you twenty will be doing will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at two. The rest of the company, while being a bigger group of dancers, will perform on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at two. The regular show times have changed to Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at seven." Mary held up a schedule to the group. "We want to start performing these matinees in two weeks."

There was a small murmur throughout the group.

"We know it seems a small time period, but these matinee shows are less complicated and shorter than the show you are currently performing." John clapped his hands. "Let's get to it."

* * *

"Sherlock! What the hell is wrong with you today?" Laurence yelled. They were back up in studio H trying to learn their new set.

"Why couldn't we have gotten a different choreographer?" Sherlock grumbled under his breath as he helped Molly off the floor.

"Are you okay?" Laurence asked Molly as she rubbed her thigh where Sherlock had dropped her.

"Yes." She nodded as she walked over to grab her water bottle.

"You don't drop her." Laurence pointed at Sherlock. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." He said through gritted teeth. "Let's do it again."

"No." Laurence rubbed his face. "Why don't we run through your other dance? Maybe get into a rhythm." He set up three chairs that would act as their bench then went over and got the stereo ready.

"Are you okay?" Molly asked softly as Sherlock got a drink.

"Fine." He lied.

"Ready?" Laurence asked the two. They both nodded and went to their starting positions.

As they crossed the studio it was as if Sherlock had reverted back to his old self. The dance was technically flawless, but there were no emotions. It was as if watching two separate dancers instead of a pair.

"Well, that was…okay." Laurence managed when they were done.

"It was bloody awful!" Molly threw her hands in the air. The two men stared at her in shock. "Well it was!"

"It was." Laurence agreed. He looked between the pair who were now standing with their backs to each other and sighed. "Let's take a break." He looked down at his watch. It was just after noon and he wasn't sure he had another four hours in him. "Actually, we're done for the day." He just shook his head at the two and left the studio.

"Sherlock?" Molly asked as she touched his arm. He flinched under her touch and walked away from her, gathering his things.

"I'm done for the day." He left without looking back at her.

* * *

"SHIT!" Molly yelled at the empty studio as she fell again. It had been hours since Sherlock and Laurence had left and she was sure that most of the others were getting ready to leave too.

"You're not turning correctly." A familiar voice said from the door. She whipped her head around and smiled broadly.

"JEFF! What the hell are you doing here?!" She ran over and threw her arms around his neck.

"I was just in the neighborhood." He shrugged smugly.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" She still held on to his arms in excitement.

"I wanted to surprise you." He kissed her on the cheek. "Now come on. I'm taking you to dinner!"

* * *

"You and Sherlock Holmes?" Jeff stared at her like she was crazy. "_The_ Sherlock Holmes? The one that no one else but John and Mary Watson can control? That Sherlock Holmes?"

"Yes. _That Sherlock Holmes_." She rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her tea and snuggled into her chair.

Throughout dinner she had sat back and listened to Jeff talk about his travels only interrupting to ask more questions. When he paid for the check she asked where he was staying. He told her he was just going to crash at his brothers, but she knew how little room they had with their four kids. She told him to stop being an idiot and that he would stay at hers. It would have to be the couch, but at least there wouldn't be six other people in the flat.

"So how are things going on that front then?" He gave her a wink as she coughed on her tea.

"I would rather not talk about it." _Especially since this morning's incident. _He laughed and took her words to mean something else entirely.

"He won't beat me up for staying here then?" He eyed her suspiciously and she laughed at him.

"No. You're fine!" She took another sip of tea. "How long are you going to be here?"

"Just the night. I have another tour that is starting in a few days and things that need to get done." He smiled as he tried to conceal a yawn.

"Don't you start!" She giggled as she yawned too. "It's off to bed then." She got up and gave him another kiss on the cheek. "I am glad you are here!" He squeezed her hand before she disappeared into her bedroom.

* * *

It had been three days since Sherlock had said something to Molly that wasn't about dance. It had been three days since he kissed her or had come over to her flat. It had been three days since they last connected while dancing.

"Well…you have the basics of the dance down." Laurence frowned as they finished what they had learned. "Last moves then." The two just stared at him. "Back into position!" Sherlock was reluctant as he wrapped his arm around Molly's waist. She badly wanted to run away and cry as he frowned even more when she placed her hand on the back of his neck.

"Okay." Laurence walked around the pair. "At this point in the dance, you are almost to the end…The next step." Laurence repositioned Sherlock's hand on Molly's waist. "Molly, you are going to slide down to the floor…" They did as instructed, moving silently. Laurence was frustrated by the lack of conviction on the pair's part.

"Sherlock, you need to bring your left leg around, and spin so your back is to her. As he does that, Molly you're going to continue to hold his ankle and spin with him, bringing yourself up on your knees." Sherlock was standing over Molly as she sat on the floor. He brought his leg up like Laurence had shown him, but ripped his foot out of her hand and hit Molly in the head as he started his turn.

"OW!" She rubbed the side of her head.

"I didn't hit you that hard." He spat sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. She glared up at him.

"Do it again, this time Sherlock be more careful." He counted it out and watched as Sherlock brought his leg up, almost parallel to the floor, causing Molly to lose her grip. "Stop!"

"You didn't want me to hit her." He bit out.

"Do. It. Again…Correctly." Laurence ran a hand over his face, trying not to punch Sherlock. Sherlock locked his jaw as he did as he was told.

"You need to let go of her hand sooner."

"Leg here."

"Again."

"A little higher."

"Don't move your hand until he has a better grip on you!"

"Try that again!"

"Close your body around hers…no…NO! AROUND HER!

"You have to touch each other!...TOUCH EACH OTHER!"

"You can't break her!"

"You have to trust he is going to catch you!"

"STOP!" Laurence yelled as Sherlock and Molly collided for the third time. "Come with me now." He stalked out of the room and the two followed. They were silent as Laurence lead them into John's office. He looked up at the three confused. "Sit." The two did as they were told. "I can't handle them right now." He said to John. "I don't know what's wrong, but you need to figure it out and stop wasting my time." He slammed the door closed behind him.

John exhaled slowly and sat down his pen. He arranged the paperwork he had just been working on and slid it into a folder. He slid the folder into his desk and closed the drawer. Then he took a few more minutes to organize the top of his desk before he clasped his hands together and sat them on the desk.

"What's going on?" He said evenly.

Molly and Sherlock shrugged in synch and folded their arms, angling their bodies away from each other.

"What is wrong with you two?" He asked again. He gritted his teeth when they both stayed silent again. "Fine. Molly?" He stared at her and watched as her resolve started to dissolve. She cleared her throat and looked at John.

"To be honest, I don't know what is going on between the two of us." She gave a little shrug. "I can only assume that it has something to do with you having told me about Brandy."

Sherlock shifted in his chair but didn't say anything.

"Sherlock?" John turned calmly to his best friend.

"You had no right to tell her about Brandy." His stare was icy.

"Are you ever going to get it through your head that she was _my cousin_?" John said through clenched teeth.

"You didn't know her like I did!" Sherlock finally shouted.

"What do you mean?!" I spent my entire childhood with her!" John was now standing, leaning over his desk.

"She was my bestfriend!" Sherlock stood, chest heaving. John let the anger slip away.

"Are we going to continually have this fight?" He asked as she sat back down. Sherlock didn't say anything.

"Sherlock," Molly reached up, touching his hand. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but I think I might understand if – "

"How could you ever understand?!" He rounded on her, bending over so he was in her face, so much anger rolling off of him. "How could you understand being committed to someone like that?" She flinched at the harshness of his words, reminding her of her failed relationships.

"Sherlock." She practically whispered.

"What would you know about losing someone you love?"

"My mum." Was all she said, her brown eyes filled with worry for him. Sherlock stared at her silently. "I understand worrying about the number of days you have left." His eyes fluttered shut and when he opened them, they were void of emotion.

"Who were you with Monday?" He asked as he stood up straight, turning to the window in John's office.

"W-what?" She stammered, shocked at the turn of the conversation.

"Monday. You were out with a man and then he accompanied you back to your flat." He clasped his hands behind his back as he stared at the city. "Who was he?"

"You think I would cheat on you?" She was completely taken back at his words. She looked between Sherlock and John, who was trying to decide if he should dismiss himself from the conversation.

"That's what it certainly looked like." He gave a small shrug.

"If you just talked to me – asked me who he was. If you just thought for a second…you should know I would never cheat on you!" Sherlock's back went ridged at her words. "If you just talked to me at all!" She cried desperately. "If you just talked to me about things, about Brandy, about – " He whipped around at Brandy's name, a mix of guilt and anger on his face. He locked eyes with Molly's before dropping his stare to the ground

"I'm done." He said quietly.

"What do you mean you're done?" John asked sounding tired.

"I'm done. I quit. No more dancing." Sherlock turned on his heels and left the office.

* * *

John had run after Sherlock as Molly sat still in his office. He came back frustrated and muttering to himself. He immediately picked up his mobile and called Laurence explaining the situation.

A half hour later Molly and Laurence were in the studio rehearsing her and Sherlock's sets while John was glad that Will was at least okay to take back over his place in the group dance with Sam.

There was no time for Molly to process what had happened with Sherlock. She had been ushered out of John's office and back to studio H. She and Laurence worked late Thursday to get the connection down they needed for the ending dance. When she got home that night she had just enough energy to eat a small dinner and crawl into bed. Then she was back in the studio on Friday morning with Laurence working on the opening duo part she and Sherlock had had. And before the performance the group rehearsed with Will making sure everything would go smoothly.

The performance went fine and she and Laurence danced smoothly together, but it was nothing like her and Sherlock pairing. The next morning the newspapers were full of questioning reviews.

"Idiot!" Molly yelled as she crumpled up the newspaper and threw it across the room. She sipped on her tea as Toby curled up in her lap. "I need wine." Toby looked up at her as if to signify he was listening. "A bottle of wine…a whole bottle." She let out a sad laugh. "Though I don't think that's appropriate for a Saturday morning." She sighed and set Toby on the ground.

She shrugged out of her pajamas and turned on the shower as hot as she could stand it and then climbed in. She let the water run over her hair and down her back as she finally broke down sobbing.

* * *

"We want to pair you with Chris for the matinee shows." Molly had just barely entered John's office before Mary started talking.

"Oh, okay." Molly shook her head slightly, still a little taken back by Mary's abruptness.

"If that's okay." Mary rushed. Molly just shook her head as she rested her hands on the back of the extra chair.

"Great!" John gave her a forced smile. "He's up in your studio." He looked back down at his paperwork dismissing her.

"Alright." Molly said a little bewildered by what had just happened within seconds.

She didn't even bother to go to the locker room and headed straight to the studio. She walked in and dropped her stuff, forcing a smile at Chris.

"Morning." He was smiling so big it looked like it hurt.

"Morning." She nodded.

"Let's get to it." Laurence was practically beaming at the chance to get to work with another dancer besides Sherlock.

* * *

Over the next week Molly received one entire blank text from Sherlock. She called him back, but he didn't pick up. Then she replied back with a question mark, but received nothing in return. She had given him the weekend to cool off and called him Monday at her break but left him a message telling him that she was dancing with Chris for the matinee. When she got home that night, she received the blank text.

She did her best during rehearsals to ignore her mobile's lack of beeping and concentrate on being her best for Chris. She knew she was only producing subpar work, but neither Chris nor Laurence seemed to notice, even with the lack of hubris from Sherlock.

"That was great guys!" Laurence was so pleased with his accommodating dancers. "You two should be already for the show on Monday."

"Great!" Chris grinned. "I'll see you guys in a few hours." He waved as he disappeared out the door.

"We need to work on the middle transition in our piece." Molly said as she wiped at her face.

"I think we're fine." Laurence countered.

"No, it's a little rocky and I don't feel stable in the lift either." She folded her arms across her chest.

"What are you talking about?" He almost laughed at her. "I am a very stable base." She ground her teeth as she looked at him. "What? Just because I'm not Sherlock."

"It's not that!" _Yes it is. _"I just don't feel stable and would like to practice it a little before our performance tonight." She sighed and gave him her sweetest smile. "Please?" She batted her eyelashes.

"Fine."

* * *

Molly stared at the empty seat next to her as she leaned on the counter.

"A little close to your mirror for doing your make-up." Sam nudged her arm as she came to stand between Molly's and Rita's stations.

"Oh…yeah." Molly sat back and examined her face, but ended up just staring at the chairs reflection.

"Stop doing that." Rita called Molly's attention back.

"Sorry." She slumped back into her chair and twirled the blush brush in her hand.

"Don't be." Sam squeezed her hand.

"Just don't do that to yourself." Rita added.

"You're right!" Molly sat up and properly examined her face, ignoring the chair. "It was a three month relationship, not three years!" The twins exchanged nervous looks but didn't say anything else as the five minute warning was called.

* * *

Molly stood in her mirror making sure her group outfit was on correctly and fixed her hair for the number. She hummed alone to the song as she cleaned off her opening number makeup and reapplied the darker shades.

"Hello." His voice stilled her as he appeared in her mirror. She felt her hands start to tremble holding her brush and she dropped them down to the counter. "You did well in the opening."

"What are you doing here?" She asked, not meeting his eyes in the mirror.

"I wanted…needed to talk to you." He coughed slightly.

"Sherlock," She turned around to look at him. "You…you had a week."

"I know." His hands hung at his sides awkwardly.

"Why now?" She felt the familiar sting in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Molly." He took a step towards her, but she stepped back, running into her chair.

"I can't have this talk right now." She turned back to her mirror and wiped at a tear that had escaped. She readjusted her hair pin and hurried past Sherlock to her spot in the wings waiting to go on.

Sherlock was waiting in the wings as she exited and placed his hand on her back. She let him guide her to the stairwell that led upstairs. They both knew it would be deserted at this point in the show giving them totally privacy.

They stood against opposite walls staring at each other. Molly knew that if she was the first one to talk, it would probably end with her slapping him across the face, so she waited. She tried to read his face, but it was always so hard to distinguish which feeling was which with him.

Molly listened as the music of the set after hers ended and the music for the next started.

"Molly, I need to apologize."

"And you had to choose now to do it?" She threw her hands in the air.

"I know…bad timing." He ran a hand through his curls. "I shouldn't have just run out on you. You were counting on me and I let you fall." She hugged her arms tight around her body thinking over his words.

"You're talking about dancing."

"Yes. I was a terrible partner." The way he said it sounded as if he expected to have fixed everything with those words.

"_You're talking about dancing_?!" She stomped her foot.

"Yes." He said with some confusion.

"You came all the way here to talk to me during the performance about how bad of a _dance partner_ you have been?!" She yelled at him.

"Molly, I had more – "

"NO! Just no!" She held up her hand. "Of all the things you need to apologize for, being a bad dance partner was the last one!"

"I was getting – "

"How about the fact that you assumed I was cheating on you, with _my old dance partner, Jeff_?! Or that _you lied_?! Or that you kept your dead soul mate a secret from me?! Or – " Sherlock captured her lips with his, swallowing her words. For an instant Molly wanted to deepen the kiss and entangle her fingers with his curls and wrap her body around his, but she pushed him away. They stood panting, wiping at Molly's lipstick that had been smeared in the process.

"Molly, I love you and you need to know that I – " She turned and ran out of the stair well. She hurried back to her station and cleaned off her streaked makeup.

She changed quickly into her last outfit, a flowing light blue dress that stopped mid-thigh with shorts underneath. She looked at her face in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy and her lips were slightly swollen. She was able to stop the tears and dry her face enough to put on her foundation and some mascara so her face wasn't washed out by the bright lights, but nothing more. Then she put her hair up into a lose bun with a few tendrils falling down.

That was how Laurence wanted her, simple, not done up. The dance was about an ordinary couple and nothing more.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes squeezing away any threating tears.

"You look great." Sam said as she wandered over noticing how on edge Molly was.

"Thank you." She said as Sam gave her a hug.

"Now, go dance your little heart out." Sam gave her a push toward the wings as the song to the current set was ending. Molly nodded and hurried over to her spot, bouncing once she was in position.

When the music started, Molly turned her head away from the opposite side of the stage, just barely keeping Laurence's movements in her peripheral. When they reached the middle of the stage and brushed into each other Molly stopped moving; the pair of eyes that stared down at her where a mix of blue green confusion with remorse.

She tripped over her own feet as Sherlock grabbed her arm lightly and spun them slowly. As they walked to the blench Molly didn't have to work to keep her eyes on Sherlock, they were glued.

They moved as two halves of a whole and the emotions of the dance hung in the air. For Molly the audience and even the music faded away until it was just her and Sherlock on the stage. Her smile was radiant as Sherlock lifted her effortlessly into the air and brought her down slowly on his shoulder. And as they neared the end, Molly didn't even hold her breath as she leaped across the stage at Sherlock, wrapping her body around his.

He swung her body around in front of his, catching her, and cradling her in his arms. He let her feet swing to the ground and they faced each other, Molly's back to the audience, with palms flat against each other's, this was the end of the dance, where they had usually stopped, but Sherlock curled Molly's fingers under his and slid his hands up her arms. He laced his fingers into her hair, pulling more out of the bun and kissed her.

He kissed her until the music had stopped and the audience was holding their breath. He kissed her until she understood what he had wanted to tell her, until she knew how sorry he was, until she knew that he understood how wrong he had been, and until he understood how desperately he needed her, the girl who made him feel whole.

He pulled back and looked at her, matching smiles spreading across their faces. The audience broke into an ear deafening applause and the curtain was dropped.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too."


End file.
